


The Luz Chronicles

by The_Icarus_Fallen



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: IDK I just work here, Love puppies, Next Generation, Other, Romance, Spicy, soft
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:29:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 34,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24730849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Icarus_Fallen/pseuds/The_Icarus_Fallen
Summary: Just a bunch of stories with these two OCs, and some interactions with others, so they're all in one place~
Relationships: Lucky x Cruz
Comments: 3
Kudos: 7





	1. Why You Gotta Make That Face?

“No.”  
The rejection was quickly followed by a whine and a pout, a freckled hand pawing at a sleeve.  
“But Cruziiiii”  
“I said no Lucky.”  
Cruz remained steadfast in their statement, focusing on the dishes they were currently washing. He'd been dropping hints and little subtle context clues all week about going to a nice dinner, but they were still busy with study and housework and not to mention the funds--  
“You're overthinking it again. I can hear those cogs turning in your head—you should know by now you don't have to worry about money. I got us covered.”  
“You are resourceful, yes, but I'd rather save what money we get for other things. Like, rent?”  
“We've never missed rent. Cruzi you know I always come through for us, you're stressing out and projecting it on everything else. It's time for a break.”  
A heavy sigh left them and they set the last plate on the drying rack, leaning their arms on the edge of the sink to ease the stress on their back before turning to look at him.  
….and that was a mistake.  
Lucky was at their side, of course, but he was making that face. That damn face. Like a puppy that's too young to know it did wrong and can only look at you with pure, unbiased love. Bright violet eyes, freckled cheeks a little chubby with a soft little smile. And he knew damn well how to set it up and make them walk right into looking at him when he did it.  
Cruz's brows furrowed and they did their best to keep a straight face. “....don't look at me like that.”  
“Cruzi.” He tilted his head just a smidge, upping the effect. “Clean up a bit. Dress up real nice. I know you've been aching to wear that beautiful gown that matches your eyes.”  
“Stop it.” They huffed at him, lips pressing into thin lines. He was right—they did want to wear that dress and feel pretty. And they did love how he showed them off when they got all done up. And....and they did need a break.  
N o.  
They knew how he was. He was just buttering them up because he wanted to go and have company.  
“I can hear those gears turning~”  
Their nostrils flared, deep breaths to try and steel their willpower. “No Lucky.”  
“They have your favorite Paella~”  
f u c k.  
“....I fuckin love paella....” and they didn't get to eat it often either—Saffron is hella pricey. Gaze dropping for a moment as they thought about the flavors and made their mouth water.  
“Soooooo you'll be getting ready then and we'll be-gah!”  
Cruz flicked their wet fingers at him and splattered droplets of dishwater in his face. “I hate your stupid cute face and the things you do with it.”  
“But you think I'm cute—GAH! STOP!”  
They continued to flick water at him until he stepped out reach, much like a hissing cat. And once a safe distance away-- “So when are we leaving???”  
With a defeated glare, Cruz huffed. “.....in an hour.”  
“Yay~”  
“Why do I put up with you.”  
He merely made the face again, following them like an excited puppy as they went to their room to clean up.


	2. The Ocean Holds No Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asra has a strange meeting with Cruz at the pier.

Deep breath in. Out. Slowly.  
He sat on the docks looking out to the ocean, the sea breeze gently rustling cropped white locks. A worry line furrowed here and there between his eyebrows, a slight twitch of the corner of his mouth. Another breath.  
Let it out. This doesn't have to weigh on your chest anymore. Release this to the waves and let it-  
“You feel guilty.”  
A soft voice stirred him from his thoughts, and bright purple orbs swayed in its direction. “Ah, Cruz.”  
Asra smiled a greeting as he released the rest of his thoughts. “You certainly are Val's child. Inherited that empathy I see.”   
The dark headed figure bobbed slightly in the waves, their bright pale sage colored eyes locked steady onto him as they swam a bit closer. “Why are you guilty?”  
A chuckle. “Ah, that's an old secret between me and the ocean. One that I haven't quite let go yet. I'm reminded every time I come here, but I guess it's part of healing. Or maybe hope that one day the sea will carry it away from me. Who knows.”  
“The ocean can't take anything you refuse to let go.”  
He glanced back at them, “Ah Cruz, sometimes you seem wiser than your years. You're certainly right. Though I'm not sure if I can let go.” Relaxing from his meditative position, Asra leaned back on his hands and sighed. A little splash signaled Cruz's movement again, peering up at him from the edge of the docks.  
“Illain has already released it. Why can't you?”   
He frowned, uncertain of the statement put before him. “What?”  
Cruz's expression remained stoic as they continued. “He doesn't blame you. Trauma is a powerful thing. But if you don't speak to him it will tear you apart until there's nothing left for him to hold of you. And he'll feel every bit of it. Just like he feels this now.”  
The magician sat up, a little defensive, feeling...a bit threatened. “What are you talking about Cruz?” Perhaps they heard me talking about our disagreement.  
“Sharing a whole heart with someone is a heavy burden. You were never responsible for his death all those years ago from the plague, but if you don't shift your perspective now you will be responsible for the death of his trust in you.”  
“How did you know that.” Asra's voice a bit shaky, uneasy. No one knew about what happened during the plague except...except a small handful of them. And they'd never said anything to anyone else, especially not...  
Bright green orbs seemed to bore holes into him, their voice was even softer but somehow he heard them clearly over the waves splashing against the wood.  
“The ocean doesn't keep secrets from me.”  
Before he could even process, Cruz released their hold on the docks and dived under the waves, disappearing with the tides. Asra took a few breaths and attempted to process what just happened.  
What else do they know?


	3. Jolly Sailor Bold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU where Cruz is a Sea Witch, and Lucky is just a Jolly Sailor Bold...

They look nothing like the portrait  
Of all the thoughts that could be circulating through Lucky's head, this is the one that was the loudest and he couldn't begin to even process w h y. This...the sea witch was right there on the deck, looking down at him like a predator about to pounce.  
“Oh.”  
I'm going to die.  
Ah, there was the appropriate thought. But as sure as he was that this was the last he would see the light of the moon, they simply....walked away. Leaving him soaking wet on the deck and—is that a head.  
Gaze quickly dropped to the wood before him just to not acknowledge the corpse laying less than a foot away from him. They were killing everyone on the ship, he could hear the screams and gunshots, but it sounded like nothing worked.  
After a moment Lucky decided that maybe he should leave and find a place to hide. What if they changed their mind? They wouldn't find him if he hid well enough, right? Magic isn't rea-  
“I'll find you wherever you go.”  
“GAH!”  
He bolted in the opposite direction from the soft voice but found himself stuck—rather, jerked back. They had a hold of the back of his shirt, and they were a lot stronger than they looked.  
“ohmygod please don't kill me-” And his stomach at this very moment just decided to grumble very loudly. The witch did not waver, holding him dangling above the deck.  
“Hungry. You didn't eat him then?”  
“Eat? Who?” The memory of the crewmates teasing him for feeling guilty for the unfortunately caught shark came to mind. “The shark that got stuck in the nets? N-no. I didn't. I felt bad.”  
It wasn't a lie. Lucky did feel guilty that the creature was a victim of an unfortunate circumstance, and maybe...he was a little worried about the curse of the sea witch. Turns out it was for good reason.  
A bright green eye was locked on to him, felt like it was searching his core for truths. Deep, dark secrets maybe.  
And then suddenly the feeling was gone and he was released from their grip. Before he could even question it, they were walking away from him to clear the rest of the ship he guessed. They were humming something that sounded eerily clear in his head, though the distance between them grew greater. His vision darkened, he felt tired.  
Eyes shutting, laying on the soaking wet deck of a soon to be ghost ship, Lucky felt his consciousness slipping away to the dark lullaby.  
My jolly sailor bold...

When he woke, he wasn't sure of the day, time, or location. He only knew he was being shaken awake and then gently carried off the ship to solid land. Placed in a comfy bed, tended to by private nurses and doctors, and then consoled by his parents.  
The authorities questioned him on why he was the only survivor, but he couldn't say.  
Lucky couldn't remember.  
All he could recall was seeing bright green, and the vague tune of a song he'd heard before somewhere...


	4. Haunted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU Where Cruz happens to be haunted by a mischevious ghost Boy...

Things were...weird.  
It started with blackouts—waking up at home, in bed, but feeling exhausted with no memory of what happened after a certain time. Usually 7pm.  
Finding clothes that they didn't normally wear, make up that was used. There was food that they didn't remember buying, messages on their phone from numbers they didn't remember saving.  
Cruz thought maybe they were going crazy.   
“Tienes mal de ojo? (Do you have evil eye?)”  
Their apa was concerned, already grabbing an egg to rub on their head while they muttered about the consequences of not wearing their bracelet.  
“I'm not cursed, Apa.”  
“Eso es lo que piensas pero mira lo que ha sucedido (That's what you think but look what's happened)—you don't even remember buying $42 caramel chocolates. Y quien es Joseph?(And who's Joseph?)”  
They made a face as Val stood there, hand cocked on one hip and egg ready in the other.  
“I don't know who Joseph is!! I've never met a Joseph! Someone probably played a prank! Maybe I got drunk or something...”  
“You're never drunk.”  
“....I am sometimes on weekend.”  
“Chiflada-” a shoe whapped them before they could defend the words that just came out of their mouth. And no more arguing then—Cruz stood obediently as Val rubbed an egg over them to draw the negativity out while their twin chuckled at them from a distance. When they cracked it in the glass of water it....looked like a normal egg.  
“Mira, is cloudy. You see there? It floats up like that—something is on you. Vamos we can see a curandero-”  
“Apa I'm fine I just need to stop stressing out. I'm probably eating something weird.” Cruz brushed it off and was rewarded with another slap of a shoe.  
“Take the glass! Ponelo en tu cuarto (Put it in your room)! Flush it tomorrow, you know how to do it.”  
“oh my goooodd.”

Still, they did as they were told upon returning to their apartment and later that evening decided to find themselves a new mal de ojo bracelet. At least so their apa would stop harassing them about it.  
Ding  
Ah. That would be whoever Joseph is. Cruz had told their family about Joseph messaging them, but they didn't tell them about him giving them money. They weren't quite sure how this situation happened, but it was incredibly odd.  
The first time they found a $42 box of chocolate in their pantry they freaked out and panicked about how they were going to cover rent. The next day their bank account suddenly had $2000 dollars, which was more than enough for rent and a few bills. Their phone had pictures they had apparently taken, selfies of them being out at a club all dressed up and make up.  
But they weren't....the typical college kid clubs. These were nice clubs. VIP clubs. How could someone like them even possibly get into those?  
Ding  
oh right. Luckily the only thing Joseph ever asked was for them to send a cute selfie, or talk to him about their day. Never anything sexual, and they were grateful for it. Sending the requested picture, Cruz had a sudden urge to shower. They felt kind of gross taking advantage of the situation but...well.  
Joseph didn't complain about it, this is exactly how he wanted it.  
Regardless, they went ahead and turned the water on and stepped in, enjoying the warmth and letting it soak into their bones. Despite wanting to relax more, they decided to make it quick to conserve on the water bill and stepped out once satisfied. Something was pulling them to go back but they ignored it, walking over to the mirror and staring at themselves for any sense of sanity  
“You're not crazy. Something is just...weird. Diet maybe. You're not crazy. ….right?”  
You aren't crazy.  
That voice was way too loud, and they whirled around searching the room but finding it empty.  
“....okay, voice in my head. Maybe I am a bit crazy.”  
You aren't.  
“whatthefuck.”  
Turning back to the mirror they froze, seeing the figure of a young man standing behind them.  
Cruz was admittedly braver than their twin Sol was, and could poker face an entire haunted house experience.  
But the thing about poker faces is that they're made of lies, and since there was no one to catch them in one, they screamed. Turning around a second time didn't help—he was still there and they clutched the towel to their chest.   
Woah hey, you don't have to sc-  
They screamed again and scrambled to run out of the bathroom but...well the floor is wet, and they slipped. Certain that they were about to die on the floor from some easily avoidable injury, Cruz shut their eyes and braced. They struck the tile, but it definitely didn't feel as hard as it should have. Surely they should have been knocked unconscious??  
Opening their eyes, the ghost boy was still there, but closer. In fact, his ...ghosty, not quite there hands were between their head and the tile, somehow cushioning them from the impact.  
Geez, calm down. You're gonna kill yourself.  
They fainted.


	5. Chapulinas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Throwback to the good ol kiddo days

Snacks at the Sepulveda's was a game of roulette. Sometimes it was awesome, other times they had things from Val's home country that were...questionable.  
Lucky found himself in their kitchen on one of the days when the snacks were questionable.   
“Chapulitas!” Cruz exclaimed, excited to be given a little bowl of the roasted, seasoned crickets. Sol was more than happy to accept theirs as well, and Val paused to look at Lucky for a moment.  
“Y no te gusta estos, si? You always avoid these ones. I can cut some fruit for you?”  
“Please.”  
Asra rolled his eyes at his son, giving Val an apologetic look.  
“You're missing out.” Sol grinned, popping a small handful into their mouth. He made a face as Cruz nibbled on one while they nodded in agreement.   
“They're like nutty, crispy, croutons!”  
His face persisted, sticking his tongue out in disgust despite Illain making a face at him to behave. “Maybe for you.”  
Sol simply shrugged at him, taking another handful, “More for us!”  
Val silently sliced up a pineapple and some oranges, listening to the interaction for a moment before setting the plate onto the table for him. Lucky gratefully took a piece of the fruit and munched away, grimacing a second time at the snacks of his friends.  
“You guys are gross.”  
“We are not!” Cruz frowned and set the bowl down.  
“Nobody eats bugs except weirdos!” Lucky snapped. “Eating bugs is gross! And I'm not gonna deal with that nasty stuff!”  
“Lucky.” Val's voice was stern, but Cruz was already staring , hurt. Their twin set the bowl down and glanced at him.  
“We're not weird. It's what we grew up on.”  
“It is. You guys are weird and gross.” He crossed his arms and stood steady. Cruz pouted.  
“....so what if we eat bugs? What are you gonna do, just not hang out with us anymore? Cause' we're gross?”  
“Maybe.”  
“Lucky!” Val gave him a look, but Cruz was already tearing up and pushing their snack away from them. Tears fell down their cheeks faster than they could wipe them away and before they knew it, Cruz was crying and being pulled into Val's arms.  
“Lucky that wasn't nice.” Illain scolded—or attempted to. His child huffed and crossed his arms, glaring at the table in an attempt to his his embarrassment.  
“Apaaa he doesn't like me anymoorree!! My friend hate meee!” Cruz sobbed. Val was already picking them up and murmuring soft comforts, reassuring them it wasn't true. Cold grey eyes shot a Look at him and a quick “I expect an apology from you” before they walked out to the living room with their child in their arms.   
Lucky remained quiet and stared at the plate of fruit.  
“That was rude, you need to say sorry.” Illain had his hands on his hips but Lucky continued to glare at the table. Asra sighed and rubbed his neck, placing a hand on Lucky's shoulder.  
“You do need to apologize, that was wrong of you.”  
He stayed quiet.   
Until Sol slammed their bowl of snacks on the table and punched him in the arm.  
“OW!”  
They managed to hit him twice more before Illain snatched them up and hoed them away from him. “SOL!”   
“YOU SAY SORRY TO CRUZI!”  
The younger twin flailed, still trying to kick at him while Lucky pressed himself against Asra and cried. Val peered over from the couch into the kitchen and Illain gave them an exasperated look while he held Sol out of arms reach of Lucky.  
Asra shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose, clutching his sobbing child as his side.   
It was going to be a long afternoon, and the kids (Lucky specifically) was about to have to (re)learn the rule of “if you can't say anything nice, shut your mouth.”


	6. The First Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit of Spice(TM) between Lucky and Cruz, first time lovers~

Soft breathing to match the faint rise and fall of their chests, a shift of skin over silk, a low hum deep in a throat as lips parted from each other.  
“Is this okay?”  
He checked in, waiting for Cruz's approval before making any further motions. They nodded to him, pulling Lucky's face down to kiss his nose, enjoying a smile between them.  
Neither of them were particularly inexperienced, at least not with other people, but with each other? It was entirely new territory and neither Lucky nor Cruz had any idea where to begin. What was too much? Too little? What was taboo and was wasn't? Was it odd that they, having been in each other's lives so long as best friends, were doing this now as lovers?  
“Stop thinking about it.” Lucky huffed a small chuckle, seeing that glassy gaze take over their eyes as they began to process too much at once. A soft hand came to rest on their cheek and pull their gazes back to each other. “Do you want to stop?”  
“No.”   
“Are you sure?”  
Cruz's heart beat against their chest, swelling with adoration and gratefulness that Lucky was so patient and understanding with them. Seeing the things they struggled with long before they could even recognize it themselves. Smiling up at him, Cruz took his hand and gently sucked on one of his fingers. “I'm sure.”  
Suddenly his throat felt too dry and a swallow caught the words before they could be spoken. A nod instead signaled his understanding as his cheeks flushed and the room suddenly felt like it was too warm. Lucky took a moment to sit back and pull off his sweater, sighing at the relief of the cool air hitting his skin. Violet orbs trailed back to watch his partner return his finger to their mouth. Jaw hanging lax, almost mimicking their motions as he watched their tongue move this way and that. Lips met again as he surged forward, something carnal clawing at his insides to get free.  
No. This isn't the moment for that.  
When they moved his hand down, slowly, dragging down their body to rest there, it pulled a whimper from him. Cruz giggled and looked at him with mild concern, “Are you okay?”  
He pressed their foreheads together, panting slightly, acknowledging silently to himself that this was doing things to him.  
“C-can I?”  
Feeling them press his finger against them pulled another whimper out of him and he too eagerly complied with their request. Their small gasp made him pause, but the way they held his hand close against them demanded more. A second finger, a third—soft, wet-- “Cruz”  
They looked at him with heat in their eyes, with yearning, with-- “I want you to.”  
Lucky removed his fingers and shifted to lay between their legs, pulling their garments aside and pressing his tongue against them.   
Not too eager. Don't be too eager.  
What good his thoughts were, doing nothing to slow his desire to taste them. He wouldn't admit that he'd dreamt of getting to experience them like this so many times before, and their flavor on his tongue was nothing he could have ever imagined.   
Their soft pants and gasps were a song he'd never thought he would hear, but oh was it lovely. And when they were trembling, fingers gripping his coppery locks tightly, it was then he pulled back and gazed at their face. Watching his partner come down from their high, chest rising and falling in quick breaths, slowing...slowing...  
“Ahh....”  
Lucky stroked their cheek, pressing kisses to the corner of their mouth. Their hands came to rest on either side of his face, pulling his kisses to their mouth, tasting--  
“Do you want more?”  
“Yes”  
He felt a fire within his core, the way they said it. They way they looked at him--  
Hands pulled and tugged at the waist band of his pants, yanking them down just enough to be out of the way, pressing against them. Their hips rolling against him fueled that fire, a coil tightening itself within him until it was aching.  
Pressing into them was almost unbearable—slowly, slowly, don't hurt them. Cruz's hands on his hips helped control his eagerness, and the second their body accommodated and let him in--  
“!!!”  
Brows furrowed, Lucky forced his eyes to stay open, forced his gaze to focus on Cruz. He wanted to see their face, watch their expressions, watch the way they looked at him.  
Their bodies fell into a rhythm—Lucky moved against them, Cruz rocked with him, breathing in time to each other.  
Their noises were heavenly, he wanted to hear them over and over again.  
“Louder. Cruzi let me hear you.”  
He could tell they were trying, the blush settling across their cheeks giving away their shyness. But that restraint broke when he gave a quick thrust, tearing the sound from their lips.  
And it was his own restraint that broke with it. Lucky dove into them, lips pressing to their own, swallowing their moans, letting them blend in with his. His hands framed their face, keeping them in view, watching as they hit that peak. They way his name was spoken with a tremble- “Lucky!”  
Their legs shook against him, thighs squeezing around his waist, gasping with every spasm. They felt slick, much wetter, suddenly he was slipping easier into them. They way their walls squeezed around him--”A-ah~!”  
Reduced to a quivering mess himself, Lucky collapsed next to them catching his breath. Fingers combed through his hair and it took his remaining energy to pry his eyes open just to see them again.  
Cheeks flushed, curls mussed about, bright, pale green eyes glazed over with tiredness and content. Cruz smiled at him, snuggling up into his arms as he did his best to comfortably settle in at their side.  
They didn't need to talk about this now. They didn't need to think about this.  
Just settle into the moment, enjoy each other.  
Lucky pressed a kiss into the top of their head before feeling their consciousness fade out, hoping desperately that Cruz fell asleep quickly as well. He had a reputation, and the last thing Lucky wanted was for Cruz to think him true to it.


	7. Family Bonds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fast Forward, to when Lucky and Cruz have a lovely family together~

Doors are locked. Lights are off. Kids in bed...  
Lucky scrolled through a mental checklist as he paced back to the bedroom, distracted enough to almost miss his partner curled up in the bay window staring out quietly. He paused.  
“Cruzi?” Quietly, he approached and laid a gentle hand on their shoulder. “Thinking bout the ocean?”  
They nodded. Ah, it was a deep thinking then. “What's swimming around this time?”  
“Something dark and oily that clings to everything and is difficult to wash off.”  
He frowned, scooching their legs over a bit to sit down, and held out a hand. An offer of physical affection—it took them a few years, but eventually they learned each other's methods. Sometimes Cruz didn't want to be touched when they were struggling, sometimes they wanted it on their terms. This time they took his hand and placed it on their knees just beneath their own worrying fingers. And then he waited, thumb gently stroking circles into their skin, until they spoke.  
“If you could go back in time, would you change things?”  
“Hm? What do you mean? Like things I regret?”  
A shrug. “Maybe. But...I mean maybe, would you go back to the way it was before?”  
“Before what?”  
“Before now? Us?”  
His brows furrowed and he shifted to settle into the seat more, moving to get a better view of their face. “Why would I want to change that?”  
“Because it's not the life you worked towards.” Their bottom lip quivered a little bit, but Cruz quickly composed themselves. “You were living luxuriously, lazily, not having to worry about anything. And that was all fine even when we got together, but..but then I got pregnant. And you couldn't live like that anymore.”  
Lucky sighed softly, lips pressing together a bit as he pondered. Yeah, he did enjoy being lazy and benefiting from other's wealth back in the day, and learning to actually hold a decent job was...not enjoyable. But...  
“No, but I don't resent that.”  
“But you could've gone back to that if I wasn't so difficult. If I didn't struggle with all that postpartum depression, and if I didn't get pregnant again 2 years later.”  
“What demon is telling you to blame yourself for making me stop being a lazy freeloader?”  
His chuckle was light and pulled them from their distant stare into a look of confusion.   
“Cruzi, kids are work. I know that, you know that. If I didn't want to do it, or didn't think I could, I wouldn't have committed to it.”  
Cruz started to open up a bit in their body language, knees falling away from their chest, back straightening, chest facing towards him. He took that moment to take their hands and tangle his legs with their own.  
“I'm not going to lie, sometimes I think about what life would be like without them. What I would be doing, what you would be doing. Sure, if you asked me 20 years ago, I would've said I don't see kids in my future. 10 years ago? I was changing my tune a little, it might be nice to be a dad.”  
Cruz frowned and tugged at a stray curl for a moment. “But one was more than enough for you, and I wanted a second one. And we were supposed to stop there...but then Gael-”  
“Gael has always had his own agenda, and he decided he wanted to be here with us on his terms. Sure, we weren't expecting him, but we're glad he's here.” Lucky pulled his partner into his arms and hugged them with his entire body. “Cruzi, I love all of our children. I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world. Not even the chance to be a lazy freeloader again.”  
He could feel them smiling, relaxing against him, finally swimming back to the surface away from all those deep, dark, oily creatures. Lucky pressed a kiss to the top of their head, savoring the moment of closeness they didn't often get to have with each other. He wanted to enjoy it as much as he could before-  
“Daddy, we can't sleep. Gael says the house is sad.”  
Ah. Right on time. Marta stood in the doorway, bleary eyed and messy haired, holding her little brother's hand while Inez swayed sleepily next to her.  
“Oh.” Cruz blushed a bit in embarrassment, making a mental note to try and tone their emotional episodes down a bit. Empathic children were certainly very sensitive...did Val have this struggle too? “I'm sorry my loves, that was my fault.”  
Marta yawned and Gael took this opportunity to waddle his two year old self on over and attempt to climb up with them. Cruz lifted him into their lap where he immediately snuggled up and set off a bit of jealousy in the other two who soon followed suit to climb up too.  
“Okay, this window is not that big. Let's go to the bed, come on you gremlins.”  
With one daughter in each arm, Lucky stood up and transported them to their much bigger bed, plopping them under the covers where they almost immediately drifted off. Cruz came shortly behind him cradling their youngest and crawling into bed with the others. Clicking the lights off, Lucky climbed in as well and settled in. He watched his partner take a moment to try and sink into a comfortable position—Gael would absolutely not be sleeping without touching them tonight—and whispered over a soft “I love you.” Suddenly the house didn't feel sad, and was instead full of warm coziness. He stayed up a little longer, listening as everyone fell into a rhythmic breathing before finally allowing himself to doze off too.


	8. Ocean Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU Where Lucky is a superstar, and he happens to visit a seaside town with a lovely seamster..

“The way your vocals hit at this chorus are spectacular, but they could be better. I think if we dedicate a bit more practice to perfecting your dynamics, perhaps we can soften that note? You have a smooth voice, it would be...”  
The red-headed man was already zoning out, leaning on his hand as he stared bored out the window at the scenery flying by. His agent was already on another tangent about “improving his skill”, which he had absolutely no interest in hearing for the 100th time on this damn car trip. Why didn't they take a flight again?  
Oh. Right. It's a small seaside town that doesn't have an airport.   
“Lucky are you listening?”  
“No.”  
“Ah. Honest as usual. Lucky, listen—you need to let me help you if we want to keep your career up. You're doing fantastic right now—fans lining up for meet and greets, concerts sold out—you're gold my dude.”  
“Don't call me dude.” Violet orbs swayed lazily over to glare at the suit seated across from him before turning back to watch the horizon of the ocean.  
“Alright, my bad.” Hands up in apology. “My point is, I know you're bored and sometimes we don't always get to do what we want but it's part of the strategy of success.”  
“Going to a tiny seaside town where no one has wifi is 'the strategy of success'?”  
“Isla Arrecife has very good connections. Not to mention, the local businesses are some of the best in the world. You can really splurge here and it is worth your money. Not to mention, it's kind of like a little vacation.”   
The agent leaned forward, tapping his knee for attention. “Listen. Your presence here will bring in a huge crowd. A big crowd means that this island gets big business. And when their economy flourishes, they will be willing to repay the favor. It's a simple trade system, you know?”  
Lucky stayed silent but nodded—he knew how those manipulation tactics worked. A master of the technique far too early than anyone should be.   
Smile, small touches, make people feel comfortable and trusting, and use that to your advantage to get what you want. Easy.   
A sigh left his lips, his agent began another tirade about fame and whatever else they liked to ramble on about. But he wasn't listening anymore—staring back out at the mess of brilliant blues and vibrant greens mixing within each other with the waves.

The car ride wasn't too long after that, reaching a small out of the way cottage that was so graciously rented out to them at a “fair price”, perks of Lucky's fame. One bedroom, one bath, but very spacious with its own kitchen and amenities. Lucky was at least lucky enough to be given his own space as his agent took another cottage down the road.   
“Get some rest, and I'll see you in the morning!”  
It was only noon. He contemplated stepping out and exploring the town, wondering how many of his fans were actually there already. He could use some attention.

\--------------------

And attention he got—as soon as he hit the market place there waited a few groups of young men and women screaming his name.   
“Lucky I love you!” “Lucky you're my favorite in the world!!”  
Same old stuff he's always heard—but it was nice to feel worshiped.  
A wink here, a smile there, a pause to twirl a fan's hair around his finger—they all melted at his touch and it was a nice reminder of the power he had over them. But it was boring.  
He stopped into an small cafe and had a meal, luckily with at least a 10ft distance between the adoring fans and his food, though the owners happened to know who he was and certainly treated him well and respected his privacy.

******************  
Lucky made a few purchases here and there when he came across something he liked. Sometimes he would just buy a piece of jewelry or a trinket and toss it to the crowed, distract them away from him for a moment.   
While evading their gaze at his last distraction, he slipped into a small shop facing the coast with a large bay window. It was quiet, empty. He let the curtains fall across the door to keep prying eyes away for a moment while he examined the shop.  
Mannequin here and there, a very nicely stitched jacket with a skirt to match, spools of varying colors of thread lined the wall perfectly organized.  
“Can I help you?”  
He turned towards the soft voice, caught a bit off guard. A young....woman? Person stood there, tall and slim, dark curly hair cropped short on one side, bright green eyes.  
“Can I help you?” They said again. Oh. He wasn't...  
“Sorry, I was a bit distracted. Where am I?”   
They looked at him almost like they didn't believe him, but answered with politeness anyway.  
“The town seamster.”  
“Ah, well-”  
“Did you need something or are you just looking around? Or maybe hiding from some crazy groupies?”  
A bit of a blush crossed his cheeks for a moment—but just a moment—before composing himself and putting on his typical cocky attitude.  
“A guy's gotta have some peace now and then, yeah? I couldn't help but notice how serene it seemed here.”   
They remained unimpressed. “Well we aren't a cafe, so if you don't have any business here-”   
“Maybe I wanted to commission you for an outfit.” That came out too quickly. Maybe he was a bit desperate not to be thrown back out to the wolves.  
Those bright green eyes narrowed a moment as a hand came to rest on a cocked hip, eyeing him up and down.  
“We don't sell your uh....celebrity style here.”   
“Who says I want a celebrity style? How about something low key, I can blend in with? I am gonna be here for a couple of weeks.”  
Arms crossed now, they stepped over and began to circle him much like he was prey, eyeing his frame and judging his wardrobe. He remained where he stood, but Lucky couldn't help but feel a chill of excitement run up his spine. Someone who wasn't worshiping the ground he walked on? It was a breath of fresh air.  
“Alright. I can take you back and measure you, get some recommendations on colors and cuts. I can already tell you you're looking at no less than $500 for starters, likely to go up to $1000 or more depending.”  
“Oof, pricey.”  
“You can pay it.”  
Damn.   
Lucky found himself drawn to this seamster's sharp tongue, following them to the back room much like a puppy to food without hesitation. They gave instruction to stand before the mirror and he complied without complaint, holding an arm out here, standing up straight when told. Their fingers were quick with the measuring tape, jotting down measurements on a small notepad. He found himself a bit sad when it was over so quickly, wishing to feel their fingers across his shoulders again. They led him to a booklet of various fabrics, colors, and cuts of clothes and left him to make his decision while they shooed out a few fans who had trickled in.  
They were stern but polite, escorting them out with ease. He was suddenly relieved, relaxing into the chair knowing he finally, truly, had a moment to breathe.   
“Did you figure out what you want?”  
“Huh? Oh, yeah.”  
Pointing to the picture of a light, flowing blouse and some equally light pants cinched at the calves, as well as a muted tone of purple with an easy on the eyes pattern.  
“You can have some leeway with those patterns—I just really like this color. But I'd hope you would still keep it matching.”  
“I would be insulting myself and my entire profession if I dressed you like a clown.”  
They shared a small chuckle but the professionalism returned hastily. Setting down a few swatches, they quickly discussed which ones would be for which piece, and provided him with a receipt for down payment and a date to return for fitting.  
“We'll have several fittings to make sure it's being stitched to your correct sizing.”  
“Ah, so I get to see you a few more times?” He flirted shamelessly.  
The look they gave him could only be described as blatantly uninterested. Ouch.  
“Come back in 2 days for your first fitting.” They were already shooing him towards the door when he forced a stop and faced them.  
“Wait. I didn't get your name.”  
“Cruz.”  
“Cru-”  
And before he could say it, they had shoved him out and shut the door. He stared blankly for a moment, muttering their name to himself a few times before smiling and stepping off into the road to explore a bit more before the crowds found him.

\--------------------------------------

The next day he thought he saw them. Jogging along the beach, climbing up rocks, laughing with some of their friends. He was pleasantly surprised when he caught them.  
“Cruz! Hey-”  
“Sol.”  
“...what?”  
They shook their head and smiled, slapping a hand on his arm roughly enough to make him flinch.  
“You got the wrong one city boy, I'm Sol. Cruz is my twin.”  
“Twin?”  
“Yup, identical.”  
Oh, how interesting. Lucky's expression must have been silly because they started laughing.  
“I didn't know they had a twin.”  
“Well of course you didn't. Anyway, where's your mob of girls?”  
“I outran them.”  
“That's impressive considering you don't look like you're very fast.”  
Damn. They're just as sharp tongued as their sibling. But he didn't worry on it, instead finding their lack of interest refreshing as well.  
“You and your twin don't really...seem to care that I'm famous.”  
“Why would we? You're just another person in our town. There's nothing special about you.”  
“Oof. Harsh.”  
“Truth. A person is a person and whether you're a rich celebrity or a homeless squatter, we give the same respect to everyone. Your status means nothing here.”  
He smiled despite the tone of the statement. “That's actually...nice. To feel like a person instead of a god.”  
“It'll go to your head if you're not careful. Anyway, I gotta go. See ya.”  
And with the same ease of speed as Cruz had shooing him out of their shop, they left him standing there alone on the beach to ponder to himself. So he sat down in the sand and pondered while watching the tide.

\--------------------------

Day three he ran into Cruz at the local coffee shop, grabbing a brew to start the day. He was up early, despite protesting at himself, just to avoid the crowds again.  
“Cruz!” He smiled a them. “I didn't know you had a twin.”  
“Ah, you met Sol.”  
They regarded him with basic politeness, but melted out into a more welcoming tone as he walked with them and chatted about the meeting. Getting to the shop door, Lucky found that he suddenly didn't want to go meet his agent.  
“I guess I should let you work.”  
“Yes, come in.”  
“What?”  
They looked at him with a bit of confusion before huffing a small laugh. “Did you forget? Your fitting is today. I have the pieces ready to pin.”  
“Oh! Y-yeah. No I totally...knew that.”  
Cruz rolled their eyes at him and left the door cracked for him to follow. And follow he did, back to the back room where he was once again set before them like a living mannequin as they pinned the pieces around his form and adjusted them here and there.  
“Do you want the shirt more fitted or loose?”  
“What do you think would look best on me?”  
“You're paying for this Lucky, it's whatever you want.”  
“I want your input.”  
They straightened up with a sigh, pulling the pins out of their mouth to look him up and down.  
“I would take it in a little bit and go midway. Not completely loose around the waist, but not too fitted. Enough wiggle room to show off your broad shoulders and narrow hips without taking away anything.”  
“Then let's do that.”  
And they did—pinning the fabric here and here to accommodate until he was satisfied with the way it looked on his frame. The pieces were carefully removed and another note was scribbled on the pad for his next fitting date, and again they parted ways.  
Lucky felt it bittersweet, enjoying the short time with them immensely, but wishing it was longer. He began to wish to see them around on the island in passing, or perhaps to run into each other again.  
In fact he stopped paying too much attention to his agent, or the groups of fans he was obligated to meet and interact with periodically for publicity sake. On one occasion Cruz was with Sol at the beach when he attempted to made contact, only to be intercepted by a few fans blocking his path. Lucky tried to pull away from them but he could only catch Cruz's look of sympathy before they turned away and left on their own business.  
And it only made him want to follow them.

************  
His next fitting couldn't come fast enough. The outfit was mostly together, it only needed some hemming and minor finalizations. Cruz kneeled before him and tucked up the edges of the capris, double checking the length of the elastic they would be using. Standing up, their fingers checked the collar of the shirt, the shoulders, the sleeves. His eyes followed them, locking onto their own despite their attention being elsewhere. As they folded and pinned an area by his chest, he absentmindedly spoke his thoughts.  
“Your eyes are beautiful. They're like oceans.”  
They paused and stared at him, a faint pink blush dusting their cheeks.   
“You can take it off now. I'm done pinning.”  
Oh. Shit. Did he say something wrong? He must've upset them. He didn't mean to just blurt that....  
Sliding the material off, Lucky gently handed it over feeling a bit sheepish, but still....  
“When will I see you again?”  
They scribbled down on another note paper without looking up. “It'll be ready in two days.”  
He moved closer, catching them off guard as they straightened and turned to give it to him. Lucky's nose almost brushed theirs as he spoke again. “I know about the clothes. I want to know when I'll see you again.”  
Trying to be a bit dominate with someone who was taller than him generally wasn't a problem—until the person was more dominate than him. Cruz pressed the receipt to his chest and without hesitation said “In two days. When your clothes are ready.”  
They slid away from him effortlessly and left him staring out the window, watching the ocean of the same color as those eyes twist and turn with the tides.

************  
“Lucky are you listening?”  
“No.”  
He lay pathetically on the bed as his agent went over the itinerary for the rest of the week, wishing they would just leave.  
“Lucky we talked about thiiiis. Look, we have half a week left, we need to capitalize on that. Those groupies are bringing in a bunch of money to this little seaside town. Heck, even you got that seamster on the map with those instaglam posts!”  
“Great.”  
“Don't you have a purchase you have to get?”  
“Tomorrow.”  
“You need the receipt-Geez Lucky, this one? How expensive is this ou—oh just kidding that's a phone number-”  
He was leaping off the bed and snatching the paper from him before he could say anything else. Lucky hadn't even looked at the receipt he'd been so dejected, and yet right there on the paper was a number, signed “Ocean eyes.”  
A smile broke on his face, a wave of relief, and a bit of panic at the thought that he hadn't made contact since he left when the door was wide open. Was he too late? Snatching his cell phone from his pocket, Lucky carefully typed in the number and sent off a text. “Dinner?” With a little clover emoji.  
Was that lame? That might have been lame. Shit. They wouldn't respond to that-  
Ding  
That was quick. It was a rejection wasn't it. Glancing down, he read the message: “I said two days, didn't I?”  
“..So...pick you up tomorrow then?”  
“I'll be off work at 4. Don't be late Clover~”  
Not a rejection!! He was thrilled, riding the wave of excitement and nervousness as his agent continued to drone on.  
“Lucky you aren't listening aga-”  
“Nope!”  
And he wasn't going to for the rest of the week.


	9. Not on My Watch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mermay AU!! Sharkboy Lucky is quite fond of the possibly crazy Ocean Activist Cruz.

I'm so boooorrreeddd  
A small group of bubbles floated up from a sigh beneath calm waters, the source lazily rolling this way and that with the tide. Lucky glanced up at the filtering sun and made a face, “when is Cruz coming back?”  
They said they would come back after they took care of something. Didn't say what “something” was, or how long it would take.  
In another vain attempt to pass the time, the human-shark hybrid flipped over and began to glide along the pathways the shadows from boats cutting through the water. This way, that way, floating along and watching the seaweed follow the currents, flicking his tail to make them flutter.  
A small smile at the silliness of their nonsense, how childish of him.  
Suddenly a commotion above the water pulled his attention, his gaze snapping towards the general direction of it. There was a boat he recognized—one that always tried to net him. The captain was some overzealous man, blonde, even more into himself than Lucky could say of himself. And that was something.  
Gliding a little closer to the surface, careful to keep by the rocks, he peeked his head just above the surface and listened. That captain was yelling at his crew, something about their incompetence. Why was their boat not moving, why does this always happen, how are they supposed to bring in a haul to the black market?  
Lucky sneered—that's right, this was the guy that would target pods of whales and haul two at a time if he managed. He's seen the carcasses of sharks left to drown at the bottom of the sea without their fins, unable to do anything for them except mourn and keep them company while they passed.   
He was lost in his thoughts for a moment, sinking below the waves when he picked up a scent that was...familiar. Senses perking up, head turning this way and that to find the –there. Blood in the water, no mistaking but....  
Ohno.  
He became panicked, heart rate rising, this was Cruz's blood. He knew it was, something in him recognized it. Swimming towards the ship, careful to not be detected, he saw them. They were clinging to the bottom of the ship clutching at their side, blood wisping out with the waves. Streams of bubbles were shooting downwards on either side of the boat—they were firing guns.  
What did you get yourself into??  
They didn't see him—in fact they were starting to drift. Every time they moved one way, the bullets kept them pinned. They couldn't get out. They couldn't go up. Cruz was drowning.   
Lucky moved without thought, panicked, a short burst of speed as he cut through the water effortlessly. Just as they lost their grip and began to sink, he snatched them up and dove, far enough the bullets couldn't reach, fast enough to weave around safely to the other side of the cliffs, away from the threat.  
He broke the surface and looked at the weak figure in his arms, sputtering and coughing as their lungs demanded oxygen.  
“Are you crazy????” He didn't mean to yell. “You almost drowned!”  
Glossy, pale sage eyes peered at him, and they gave a smirk wide enough to dimple their cheek. “Yeah, but he's fucked for the next 3 weeks. Can't sail if your engine can't work. Can't hurt the pod of whales migrating past the bay.”  
They were met with a blank stare, disbelief, then a rush of relief.  
“You really are crazy.”  
Still, he held onto them, floating quietly a moment before picking up a whiff of the blood again and swimming them to the shore.   
“I need to get you out of the water. The other sharks have picked that up already.”  
“Oh, friends~”  
“How much blood did you lose??!”


	10. The Arcana (Second Gen) - Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arcana-Verse; A light hearted weekend takes a turn for the worse. When your world is shattered, what would you give to put it back together? (part 1)

The palace was always lovely, and every time they visited Nadia never hesitated to indulge them. Val, Asra, and Illain always protested, long time friends as they were, but ultimately relented and allowed the Countess to spoil them. “We don’t get to visit so often anymore, and since you’re staying the weekend I have reason to celebrate seeing my dear friends again.”  
Their children on the other hand...well, the Sepúlvedas never asked for anything except the rooms with windows that faced the seaside cliffs. Lucky on the other hand....well he never directly asked, moreso hinted or spoke with subtle implications. Nadia knew his game, but he was a good soul and never acted in malice so she allowed it. Often she would tease the elder magician about his son, his husband often mumbling a flustered “I have no idea how he turned out this way.”  
“Oh Illain he’s fine. Spoiled, but he’s got your heart of gold. Even if he does like to keep it hidden all to himself.”

Friendly banter aside, the weekend was beginning and it was promising. A large meal full of laughter and nostalgia, the adults reclined on a pile of pillows on the balcony with a couple of bottles of Golden Goose much like they did years ago. Lucky, Sol, and Cruz were left to their own devices, shuffling off into the garden to entertain themselves. A few short minutes later Lucky’s screech could be heard followed by a splash as the twins dunked him into the fountain before jumping in themselves. Nadia sighed with a laugh and tapped Asra on the knee, “Remember when we used to do that?”   
He laughed as well, nudging the other two, “The summer was never too hot with that fountain hmm??”

A hot bath, a glass of mulled wine, and some fresh comfy robes later, the parents were settled in their own rooms while the younger group hung out in one of their bedrooms with a bottle of Golden Goose.  
“I had JUST done a hair treatment and you soaked me.” Lucky huffed, trying his best to be mad but cracking a grin at the twins’ giggling.  
“Like your hair needs anything else, it’s like fire in the sunlight. All shiny orange and stuff. And anyway, Nadia let you have one of her fancy hair masks for the bath so I don’t see why you’re complaining.” Sol rolled their eyes.  
“And it’s suuuuper soft now.” Cruz added, running their fingers through it. He’d never admit in front of Sol how much he was enjoying their touch.  
“Eugh, get a room.”  
Guess he didn’t have to, it appears the a Golden Goose softened his restraint a bit. Cruz merely laughed at them and pressed small kisses to his cheek, pulling another groan and an eye roll.  
“G r o s s! Ugh I’m going to beeeed.”  
“Hahaha goodniiigghhtt I love yoouuu!”   
Sol grumbled but hugged their sibling tightly anyway, gently bopping Lucky on the head before heading out.   
Now alone in the room, he unabashedly cuddled up to Cruz and sighed with content.  
“Are you staying in my room tonight?”  
“Do you want me to?”  
“I always want you to.”  
They laughed and gave him a squeeze. “You did always like to sneak into our room when we were kids.”  
Lucky grinned, quite proud of the accomplishments of his younger self. “Your bed was warmer. “  
“Because I was in it you goof.”  
They stayed up a little later, finishing the bottle while enjoying some nostalgia from their youth. Eventually sleep caught up to them and they cuddled up into bed, swallowed up by the mountain of pillows and fluffy blankets. The next morning Palace helpers would find them snoring in a little tent of covers, only their noses visible. 

They were allowed to sleep in—it was the weekend after all, and though they missed the large fresh breakfast, when they did rise and greet the world Portia had some fresh sweet buns and coffee ready for them.  
“No hungry tummies on my watch!” She winked. 

Nadia had a small party planned later that evening, a small gathering that wasn’t quite the size of the masquerades the palace was known for. The servants were bustling about decorating, preparing foods and everything else that came with a palace party. Portia was managing like a pro, everything moving smoothly along.  
Asra and Illain had walked out to meet Val who was already fussing about their children’s’ hair.   
“Peinate!”  
“We did!!!!”  
“Val you of all people should know how unruly curls can be.” Illain laughed, earning a look of gratefulness from the twins as Val’s fingers left their locks.  
“Si pero they can be less....ah chingón what do you say-frizzy.”  
“They’re not frizzy Val. You know Nadia doesn’t skimp on appearances.” Asra added.  
Taking the opportunity to escape their grip, the twins beamed as Illain compliments the outfits Nadia had carefully picked for them. Outfits that fit their personalities respectively, in color and style, almost flawlessly.  
“Nadi really knows how to read a person.” Sol beamed. Cruz nodded, flaring out the teal and gold skirt they wore. “She said they’re outfits from Prakra. It’s so breezy and light but looks so elegant.”  
“Sari I believe it’s called.” Asra added.  
“Correct. Cruz that color compliments you well. And Sol, the warmth of that orange matches you perfectly.” The countess walked up looking as elegant as always in her own outfit, smiling warmly at everyone. A quick sweep of the crowd and she cocked a hip and chuckled. “I suppose Lucky is making a grand entrance to show himself off.”  
“His grand entrance is me dragging him out of his room. Which I’m gonna do now.” Cruz smiled and turned to jog down the hall, leaving the group giggling.

As they ran to his room, a stray streamer caught their foot, tripping them and sending them early colliding into a rather menacing looking statue. Cruz caught themselves and scoffed, shoving it over to the side as a flustered servant ran over to pick it up with profuse apologies.   
“I’m fine it’s okay. Just gotta be careful.”   
Reassurance done, they ran up to the bedroom doors and shoved them open—or tried to. They were locked.  
“Luckyyyyyyyy!!”  
“Not reaaaddyyy!!!”  
Huffing, Cruz kicked at the door and made it jiggle just enough to be annoying. “But I want you to see how pretty I look!”  
“You’re always lovely~”  
Dammit. Another pause.  
“....I won’t kiss you if you don’t let me in.”  
They had never heard Lucky move faster, in fact they could have sworn he even ran to the door. It swung open almost immediately and he stood there dressed and ready in a lovely gold and purple outfit that was just a eye catching as he liked to be.  
“Ooohh look at you fancy.”  
“Fancy enough to win your favor??”  
They rolled their eyes and giggled but gave him the kiss anyway. “You gonna come out and spend time with me or are you gonna be lame and hide in here just to be dramatic?”  
“Oh I suppose I can indulge my biggest admirer~”  
That earned him a light slap on the arm, and another kiss before he was pulled from his room and walked hand in hand to everyone waiting.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The gathering was lovely, not too big and not too small. Enough people to enjoy the atmosphere of company while not feeling obligated to interact. Initial greetings aside, family and friends together, the group separated into their little cliques again to enjoy the party. Asra, Val, Illain, Nadia and Portia we’re enjoying a bit of banter and drink on the balcony. Lucky, Sol, and Cruz stepped away to the garden again to play about. A wager on the garden maze—first to get through it without cheating gets bragging rights and one favor each. Lucky rolled his eyes, feigning disinterest, but they knew the promise of favors was fresh on his mind. Favors he would hold onto and save for just the right moment.  
The game was on, they ran through splitting up, going this way and that, hitting walls of hedge and cross crossing about the fountain. Ultimately, Lucky won and he certainly took advantage of his bragging rights.  
“Alright, and what are the favors?” Sol asked, eyebrow cocked suspiciously.  
“Those are for me to know and you to find out whenever I use them. They’re gonna live in my pocket for a bit.”  
“Oh boooo. Surprise favors! “  
They laughed and moved to head out of the garden when Cruz stopped and glanced back.   
“Ohno! I lost an earring!”  
“You’re not gonna look for it??” Lucky frowned. That was a big garden maze.  
“Um yes?? It’s Nadia’s!”  
Sol shook their head, “Nadia isn’t gonna be mad at you. I’m sure she’ll have the gardeners and servants search for it later. Maybe Malak will find it, he likes shiny things.”  
They scoffed and started to head back in with determination. “Nope! I’m gonna look! I’ll meet up with you guys in a bit!”  
“I’m not saving you any Golden Goose!!” Lucky called, a flat out lie that we met with a wave and a wink.  
“Bah. Come on, they’ll give up in like half an hour.”  
The two walked away to join their parents, relaxing into the cuddle pile effortlessly.

~~~~~~~~~

“Oh where is it....I know I went this way.”  
Cruz carefully retraced their steps until they ended up at the fountain for the 3rd time. A frustrated sigh signaled their surrender and they sat at the edge of the sculpture for a moment to rest.  
“Well I tried.” They dragged their fingers through the water, watching the small ripples it created. While enjoying the moment, a flash of red caught their eye in the reflection. Cruz looked up and saw something bright red gleaming at the top of the fountain.  
“What is that...?”   
Standing up, they began to climb, grabbing hold of the goat figure to pull themselves up until they were close enough to examine it.  
Bright vivid red, almost like blood.   
“A brooch?? A...beetle brooch??” Maybe someone had lost this too. They reached up to grab the item when it suddenly moved and flew at their face. Startled, Cruz lost their footing and slipped, falling backwards. They struck the edge of the fountain, losing consciousness and slumping into the water.

“Sol!”  
A shattered glass lay at their feet, Sol stood frozen. Eyes wide, their hand clutching the base of their skull.  
“Sol? Are you alright?” Illain reached out to touch their shoulder when they suddenly screamed.   
“Sol!!” Val was up and trying to console their child when they started gasping, shoving everyone away and stumbling into the garden.  
“CRUZI??!!”  
The group looked at each other with great concern, immediately trailing after them. Lucky was directly behind them, panic bubbling in their chest, an unsettling feeling resting on his shoulders. Sol was much faster, running full speed, getting out of sight.   
And then he heard them scream. Rounding the corner, Lucky froze in place, watching Sol pulling Cruz from the fountain.  
The water was red. Why was it red?  
Val nearly knocked into him turning the corner, but was shoving past him without regard seeing their children. He felt his parents hands on his shoulders, and then he felt them rush past him. Everyone was gathering around the fountain, Portia was pushing people back, someone was yelling for Julian. Illain and a servant we’re struggling to keep Val and Sol back while Asra worked with his magic.  
Nadia was holding Lucky, saying something of comfort. He thought anyway. He couldn’t hear anything, it was like someone muted the world. Everything felt surreal. He felt sick.   
Sol fell down. Did they pass out? Why was Val sobbing? Why did his parents look so somber all of a sudden??  
“Oh goodness no...” Nadia’s grip tightened on him. “Lucky let’s...come on darling, let’s step away.”  
He didn’t budge. One step forward, another—“Lucky don’t-”  
Yanking his arm free stepping forward. Asra lifted his face from his hands, quickly standing up to catch his son before he could get any closer.  
“Lucky no-”  
“Their eyes are open.”  
“Go inside.”  
“Why aren’t you helping them? Cruzi is — their eyes are open.”  
His head felt light, he felt like he didn’t know how to breathe.   
“Lucky listen to me, get inside-”  
Suddenly his knees gave out and he collapsed onto the grass, sitting still, staring at their face.  
Everything was silent.


	11. The Arcana (Second Gen)-Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How well can they cope after the tragedy?? Are they coping at all? How desperate are they to fix it?

“How are they?”

Asra was on a visit with the Countess while he was in the area, but also....just to check on things since the accident. A low sigh left his lips and he rubbed the back of his neck.

“Sol is...beyond devastated, understandably. They're not sleeping, barely eating,Val as well, they've dissociated pretty badly. We couldn't get either of them to leave the house and stay with us so...Illain and I are taking turns staying over and making sure they're cared for.”

“Oh dear...I'm so sorry to hear that.” She frowned and wrung her hands together, a pained expression falling on her face. Portia, setting a few cups of water down, rubbed at her irritated eyes and steeled herself a bit.

“I'll come with some food and help you guys in the evenings. I know Val is a bit tough to handle in their dissociative state.”

“Oh Portia, it's okay. Illain and I are managing fine-”

“No! I'm coming, they're my friend too.”

Asra gave her a sorrowful smile and rested a hand gently on her arm. “Thank you Portia.”

The room fell silent for a bit, a small sound of rustling clothes or a sip of water were the only signs of life. Nadia spoke again, her voice remaining soft as if she'd disturb anything simply by speaking.

“And how is Lucky?”

The magician's lips pressed into a thin line and his grip on the glass tightened a bit.

“....Lucky is......not doing well either.”

“He came with you, didn't he?”

Portia nodded. “You wanted to get him out of the house, right?”

Asra sighed. “It's been 2 weeks. I can't expect anyone to recover from such a thing but....he needs to get back to his life. The world doesn't stop turning, right?”

They nodded at him, but Portia shrugged and glanced out at the balcony where the young redhead sat and stared silently out to the garden.

“Is he really living?”

“He's fine.”

Asra was a bit sharp but softened and apologized. “I'm sorry. We're all still...shaken up about it.”

“I feel as though I have some responsibility in this tragedy.” Nadia frowned.

“No, Nadi. It was a freak accident. None of us could have done anything differently to change it.”

_If I helped them look for the earring I could have._

Lucky stayed quiet, eyes glued to some fixed point of the garden. Nadia had the fountain removed after the incident, but it didn't change the way anything felt. He could hear them quietly chatting about everything, and he didn't want any part of it. The glass of water and tray of snacks Portia set down for him remained untouched. She even gave him a slice of his favorite cake the palace offered—the thought of it made him sick.

His mind was running in circles and it was exhausting.

_You could have saved them. You should have been there. This is your fault._

It wasn't. He knew it wasn't. What could he have done even if he was there? Watch their last moments?

“How are you doing, Lucky?”

His head turned slightly, just enough to look over at the younger Devorak sibling smiling sympathetically at him. He almost felt like she was pitying him, and he suddenly felt a tug of disdain that she was even near him.

“I'm fine.”

He wasn't. She knew that. But nonetheless, Portia nodded and assured him that he could call her if he needed anything. She walked away and Lucky knew she would be reporting back to his dad and the countess.

He's....distant, she would say. His dad would sadly nod, Nadia would be torn up inside and unsure of how to fix it. She always wanted to fix things. This wasn't hers to fix.

** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** 

When they finally left, it was....sad and awkward. Asra, Portia, and Nadia all shared a goodbye that was familiar and warm. Lucky stood away from them, ignoring the gentle touches on his shoulders. The trip back home was quiet, hauntingly so when they stopped by the little crystal shop to check on Illain and the Sepulvedas.

Val was sitting on the couch staring blankly ahead while Illain spoonfed them some soup, greeting them quietly. Lucky walked past without a word and headed up the stairs to find Sol poring over a mess of papers and books. They ignored him while he stepped over everything and sat on their bed, burying his face into Cruz's pillow and curling up on their side.

“They can come back. I don't know how but I know there's a way.” Sol muttered.

“Shut up Sol.”

“Someone knows something. Julian does.”

“Shut. Up. Sol.”

He curled up tighter, trying desperately to find any lasting scent of them within the woven textile. The pillow was ripped from his hands and a paper was shoved into it in it's place.

“SOL-”

“Shut up-look. Look what is this? What does he know?”

“Who fucking cares?”

He grabbed for the pillow, but Sol was taller and stronger and they pushed him back without a struggle. Even in their state with such a severe lack of sleep, they overpowered him.

“Look at the damn paper.”

Their voice was hoarse. Lucky uncrumpled it and stared.

“Where did you even get this?”

“Stole it.”

Lucky fell quiet, reading the scribble of ink and smudged drawings on the worn paper. Major Arcana. Hanged man. Cure for plague. Death reversible?

“No one comes back from the dead Sol, just stop it.”

“Someone did.”

They got quiet. They had always heard their parents talking about some...horrific masquerade that happened long before their time. Something about the plague, a body, Lucio and Asra's deck of cards...but they always fell quiet whenever any of them were near, and any questions they asked were always ignored. Something about his dad's tarot cards.......

“We just need to-”

“Stop. It.”

Lucky stood up angrily and snatched the pillow from them, stomping down the stairs while shoving the paper into the case. He stormed out the door past his parents and headed home. He was angry, furious. How dare they even suggest a glimmer of hope to him? Even though he knew it was impossible.

No one comes back from the dead. He knew this. So why did he take that paper? It was Julian's, right? Where is Julian....

** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

Sol had left the shop in the middle of the night while Asra and Val were asleep. Illain had left to go try to comfort Lucky and Asra took over their care. No one would stop them.

They trekked through the forest to that area Muriel had led them too once at Asra's request while they were learning their magic. They knew the way by heart—they knew every path and twist and turn in this forest. It didn't take long to get there, climbing up the small rise to the clearing.

Sol sat down and set out a few offerings, lit a small candle, and then meditated. They tapped into that river of magic Asra had taught them before and followed it, calling out to The Arcana for guidance while they imagined their portal. Anything. Anyone.

_Determined aren't you?_

Sol opened their eyes and found themselves standing...in a forest. Much like the one their body was already in but...different.

_What do you want?_

Turning around this way and that, they scanned for the source of the voice.

_Here._

Whirling around again, they stood before a tall, feminine looking...cheetah? She was stoic, calm, proud. She stood tall.

“The Chariot.”

_Correct. Who are you and what business do you have here?_

Sol stepped forward and stood proud themselves, determined, shoulders back.

“I want my twin back.”

They could have sworn there was a flicker of a smirk on that face.

_Do you?_

“You can do that, can't you? You can bring them back?”

_What makes you think I have such a power?_

“Didn't you do it before?”

_At a cost._

“So you did. I'll pay whatever it is. I just want them back.”

They remained quiet, stepping to circle slowly around them, like a predator eyeing down her prey. It was an agonizing pace they kept, silent, but when they made it full circle they simply uttered one word.

_No._

“What?!”

_There is nothing you could sacrifice for such a request._

Sol felt like what was left of their heart had been punched out of their chest. It was intense enough of a feeling that they had forgotten to breathe for a moment.

“Why not?!! I said I'd give anything!!”

_And you have nothing to give._

“Surely there's something?!”

They sobbed, desperate for a solution. Anything.

_You are only half of what you once were. There is nothing I could take from you that would not leave you with some semblance of yourself. You're barely alive as it is. What good are you to your resurrected twin if you have nothing left?_

Sol slumped to the ground, defeated. Hopeless.

_I am truly sorry for your pain. But there is nothing I can do for you._

The Chariot turned and walked away from them without another word. Sol felt themselves being ejected from the realm, back into their body. They landed flat on their back—or at least it felt like they were dropped flat on it. Gasping for breath, coughing at the impact, crying at the failure of the encounter. Sol curled up and cried harder, screaming in frustration, agony—what would they do now?

A small whine sounded by their ear but they couldn't be bothered to respond to it. Maybe it was a wild wolf here to eat them—fine, kill them now, at least they'd be with Cruz again.

“This is no place for you.”

A low, soft voice carried gently over them. Warm hands wrapped around them and picked them up, tucking them against a rough body, buried underneath a warm cloak. When did they start shivering?

The hulking figure carried them all the way back to the shop, gently knocking on the door and surprising a sleepy Asra.

“Muriel! Sol!”

He brought them in and carried them up to the bed—with some effort due to his size—and quickly turned to leave. Asra was worried, concerned, scared, curious--”What were they doing there?”

Muriel closed his eyes and shook his head. “Foolishness.”

“...they weren't--”

He shook his head again and Asra breathed a long sigh of relief. A quick thanks and Muriel left, leaving an exhausted Sol passed out in their bed, finally, and a newly stressed Asra wondering if the past was going to repeat itself.

** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

“Lucky,I know you're going through a tough time right now...but I'm not so sure I'm the best person for this.”

Julian fidgeted this way and that, making wild hand gestures at every thing he said, offering excuses on who might be better suited to help comfort him.

“I'm not looking for comfort. I just want to talk.”

“Talking is comfort, isn't it? Listen I'm not the greatest—I can barely comfort myself.”

“My dad isn't going to be mad at you.”

The lanky doctor paused a moment, then breathed a sigh of relief. “Okay I wasn't...worried about that, but that is very refreshing to know.”

“I'm trying to study his deck more. You know, ask the Arcana for guidance...especially now since I feel so lost.”

Thin lips pressed into an even thinner line, and Julian peered down at Lucky over his hooked nose.

“.....I'm not exactly an expert in magic, or tarot readings Lucky. That's Asra's area. Is he...not wanting to help you?”

“I don't want to ask him.”

Lucky moved over to look at the shelves, remaining expressionless at the bottled leeches where he would normally make a face of disgust. He moved around the small space, looking over every book spine and desk ornament in sight. Julian leaned against his desk and crossed his arms, sighed and shaking his head.

“I'm not quite sure what I can do for you.”

“Do you know anything about the Arcana? I just...think it might be nice to hear different perspectives on them. Different impressions people have.” Lucky turned, holding a small, gold plated paperweight that he was turning over in his hands absentmindedly. “My dad thinks they're...well demi-gods. That they always act for a reason, even if you don't like it. But they have the best intentions in whatever it is.”

Julian nodded, a small chuckle leaving his lips. “Yeah, that sounds like Asra.”

“What do you think of them?”

“I think they're...tricky. Like a monkey's paw. Like you can ask them for something, but there's always a catch.”

“There's a catch to asking them for guidance?”

“Wh-oh! No. No not simple reading stuff. Bigger stuff. Asking them to cross boundaries of death or cure plagues or—uh.” He paused, seeing Lucky's intense gaze locked right onto him, unwavering. “.....you know, theoretically. They can't actually do that. I'm just using those as examples.”

The young redhead nodded slowly, setting the paperweight gently down.

“My dad once said he's eternally grateful to them for bringing him back what he lost, even if he suffered a bit for it. He never told me what that was, or how he suffered. He never said it again, and he never answered me when I asked about it. Do you know what my dad lost?”

Julian tensed up, sucking in a breath before blowing it out and laughing. “Oh Asra loses a lot of things! He probably suffered over losing his favorite tea kettle for too long!” He continued to bark out laughter and cleared his throat after calming down. “I can't say I remember Lucky. It's been years since your dad lost anything that important to him. Maybe it's been so long he's forgotten about it too.”

“Mm. Yeah you're right.” Lucky smiled, shrugging and turning to the door. “Sorry to take up your time Julian. Thank you for...for spending some time with me. I know I'm a bit difficult sometimes.”

“Not at all! Not at all, Lucky. You're welcome here anytime, yeah? I'm...glad you're starting to get back to your old self.”

Lucky felt an empty pit hollow out in his stomach, but remained smiling and nodded. “Yeah, it'll get better with time. Anyway, thanks again. Bye.”

He walked out and shut the door behind him, stepping a few paces away before pulling out a small black journal from under his sweater. Flipping it open as he walked, he began to read an entry about a disastrous masquerade from over 20 years ago.....

** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

_CAW_

“Yes I KNOW Malak.................do you think he caught that?”

_CAW CAW_

Julian pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, pressing his hands together and glancing over at the fluffed Raven perched on his chair. “You're right, he has always been unsettlingly observant.....”

_CAW_

“........no I don't think he knows Lucky came here.”

_CAW CAAAW CAW_

The doctor walked over to the window and peered out, catching a glimpse of his purple sweater slowly getting further and further away. He appeared to be reading something. Something he didn’t have before he came to this office.

“....yeah. We should go see Asra.”


	12. The Arcana (Second Gen) - Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How desperate are you to bring them back?

“He what?”  
Asra stared at Julian in disbelief, his husband gently holding his arm and offering what comfort he could.  
“I know, I didn't think he was there to see me for funsies either. He asked me what I thought about the Major Arcana and then left. If he's planning anything, he's very good at hiding it.” Julian dropped his gaze and muttered in embarrassment, “he's also really good at manipulating information out of people....”  
Illain gave a small smile and patted Asra's arm again. “He does that.”  
“You said he was reading something?” Asra asked.  
“Ah, yes. I don't know what it was, but I'm 100% positive it was from my office.”  
Asra tensed, making Illain suffer through a chill of goosebumps. The doctor frowned and ran a hand through his hair.  
“You don't think he would....you know.”  
“No.” The magician's response was quick and sharp. “Absolutely not, I forbid it. We cannot let that happen again. I will do everything in my power to make sure he doesn't even if I have to lock him in the hou-”  
He paused feeling Illain's gentle squeeze on his arm, and he knew it was in displeasure.  
“You can't fault him for searching.”  
“No, but I can make sure he doesn't make a terrible mistake.”  
“Was bringing me back a mistake?”  
Asra froze, looking to his husband, alive and well when once he....  
“....don't ask me questions like that...”  
“Don't make me have to. Our son is hurting, Asra. He's in pain. You know exactly what it feels like, so I expect you to understand why he's searching for anything that might even vaguely sound like hope.”  
He stopped, a bit taken aback at the sudden stance from his husband. Illain was always soft spoken, gentle, kind...but he had a fire that sparked up when it needed to, and Asra could see that flame in those bright amber eyes.  
Julian stood silently watching the back and forth, taking a small breath and testing the air before speaking up.  
“Look I don't think we have anything to worry about right now. This may be part of his coping process—part of the stages of mourning. He's looking for answers and solutions where there are none. Didn't you say Muriel brought Sol from the forest in the middle of the night too? Both of them have lost a huge piece of their lives at such a young age, they're processing as best they can. It may appear manic and....suspicious sometimes. They're definitely not themselves right now.”  
The couple nodded, Asra reluctantly agreeing at Illain's gentle urging.  
“Right....we'll just, keep an eye on them for now. Like we have been.”  
“Okay. I need to get back to the office, but I'm available if you need me.”  
“Thanks for letting us know about Lucky, Julian.” Illain led him out, leaving Asra to ponder a few things and plan several worst case scenario plans in the living room.

*****  
When he returned to the office, it felt....different.  
“Malak?”  
CAW  
“Was someone here?”  
The raven puffed up a bit and flew to the bookshelf, tapping their beak on one of the spines of an old, black journal. Pulling it down, Julian opened it up and pressed his lips together. It was the one from...20 something years ago, a diary of sorts where he tried to gather all the messy thoughts and events of that ritual that Asra had done.   
“Lucky?”  
The raven squawked again, perching back on the desk where it previously rested. After flipping through the book and finding nothing missing, Julian furrowed his brow and set it gently back in the shelf.  
“So he took it and then brought it back.....do you think he was hoping it would tell him what to do?”  
Malak made a small chirp of a noise, fluffing up again and shaking their feathers out.  
“Let's hope he doesn't have photographic memory.”

  
Sol was silent, devastated, empty. They lay quietly on the bed, refusing any food or drink offered to them, not even using the energy to look.  
Asra and Illain had taken turns trying but they were starting to think they may have to bring Julian in for sound medical advice. And potential force feeding, much to their dismay.  
As they discussed quietly in lower levels of the shop, Lucky lay down on the bed next to Sol. He flinched at the memory it spark of Cruz, taking a shakey breath before willing the thought away and whispering.  
“You tried to bring them back, didn't you? In the forest?”  
Their eyes flicked up to look at him but they remained silent.  
“I saw Julian's book. It did happen, before we were born. Someone did come back.”  
He scooted a little closer, cuddling up a bit for warmth, though a part of him wondered subconsciously if he wasn't just doing it because Sol was as close as he would get to feeling like....  
Lucky squeezed his eyes shut and choked back a small sob, stubbornly rubbing his nose to silence it before continuing.  
“.....it didn't work for you. Right?”  
“The Chariot wouldn't take my offering.”  
“....they refused?”  
His question remained unanswered, instead Sol buried their face into the pillow and began to cry. Lucky, however, was turning things over in his head on just why the Arcana would refuse when they'd done it before.   
What do I need to do this?  
“They said I had nothing to give. Because I'm only half of what I used to be since Cruzi is gone.”  
Oh.  
That was....heartbreaking to hear, moreso to actually think about. After a few moments, Lucky got up and walked downstairs only to be stopped by a gentle hand on his arm.  
“Lucky, you okay?”  
Asra looked at him with concern, and love, like he did.   
“....I'm fine.”  
“I know you're not. This is hard for you.”  
“I'm fine, Dad.”  
He could feel his hand tense a bit before relaxing over the sleeve of his sweater, rubbing a slight rhythm of comfort into his arm.  
“Listen....I know that right now things are...hard. And you might be searching for answers to questions that don't have any.”  
Does he know?  
The young redhead turned a bit and stared blankly into his father's eyes, waiting for him to continue.  
“I'm just.....if you need to talk about these things, Illain and I are here for you. You know that. We aren't going to judge or be mad about anything going through your head right now that you might need to get out.”  
“Good to know.”  
He started to move towards the door but the hand tightened a grip and pulled him back.  
“I'm serious Lucky,” Asra started. “We understand what you're going though.”  
“Then let me go through it.”  
Snatching his sleeve free, Lucky stepped away and stomped out the door, leaving a baffled Asra staring at a shrugging Illain.  
“I told you he wouldn't want to talk about it.” The freckled man chuckled, pulling the kettle from the stove and pouring some fresh tea.  
“Illain, I don't think you're taking this as seriously as I am.”  
“I am. But...I think I also have a different perspective entirely, considering I'm the product of your meddling.”  
He tensed, watching the gentle motions of his husband as he prepared the tea.  
“I don't want him to sacrifice anything, or suffer through what you did. But...I can't blame him for wanting to try to find a way to get Cruz back. You went to the ends of the earth for me once....and Lucky does take after you.”  
A small, warmed cup of jasmine tea was placed gently into Asra's hands before Illain walked over to Val to help them drink their own cup.

**************

He was furious. His father had always kept secrets from him, refused to tell him about things that everyone apparently knew, and yet he had the audacity to tell him he was seeking a false light?  
Lucky had stomped all the way to the clover fields and collapsed onto the ground. He hated this place now—it hurt too much now, held too many memories. The hours he and Cruzi spent talking with each other, how they would cuddle up and just spend the day reading or napping, their first kiss...  
I want you back. I NEED you back.  
Tanned hands closed around handfuls of the delicate white flowers, crushing them in his grip as he hunched and sobbed. What was he feeling? Anger, resentment, sadness, guilt, regret, bittersweet nostalgia, breaking hope...  
I WILL get you back.  
An agonized scream left him before he was aware he even made the noise, and he felt a rush of energy flow through him. It was like the time when he first learned he had magic, and that he could tap into it.  
 _Goodness...._  
Who was that?  
Catching his breath for a moment, Lucky looked up with red eyes and tear stained cheeks. The clover fields were red, and just before him knelt a....a lioness. A humanoid lioness with a delicate flower crown.  
She appeared to smile at him, somehow....  
 _You've gone through so much, little one. But how strong and resilient you are...._  
His breaths came in stuttered gasps and huffs, still on the verge of an emotional breakdown. Yet he felt...oddly calm about it all. Was this what insanity felt like? Had he finally just lost it?  
 _No. You're as of sound mind as you ever were. You called to me....what do you need?_  
“.....I need Cruzi.”  
 _Mm.....the lioness smiled. Let's talk, little one._


	13. The Arcana (Second Gen) - Part 4

It felt like there should've been a cool breeze—maybe there was and he just wasn't registering it. Maybe he wasn't registering the noises of nature, it was eerily silent. Maybe...maybe he wasn't on Earth anymore. He couldn't have been, not with this Patron Arcana before him. Did he...transverse planes without meditation or a gate?

_Pain and desperation can cause one to perform amazing, yet terrifying feats._

She had spoken again, the lioness.

“What do I have to do?”

_Careful little one, your balance has wavered. You should tread carefully lest you misstep._

“Was that a warning?”

_Advice._

Lucky sat up, breath still catching here and there with fading sobs. A moment passed before he was stilled enough to speak again.

“What do I have to do to get them back?”

_Simple: Be patient and compassionate._

“How is that going to bring them back to me?”

The lioness' eyes narrowed just slightly, the corners of her mouth appearing to turn up just a smidge.

_Trust that it will, little one. It is only one half of the equation. The rest remains in a ritual._

“A ritual....like the one from over 20 years ago?”

_The same one your father performed._

Lucky's brows furrowed and he glanced up at them, shaking his head. 

“My dad?”

_A magician full of miracles and secrets. You did not know it was him, did you?_

“........I know he lost something irreplaceable to him once. He always said the Arcana brought it back.”

_Someone. You look very much like him._

Illain.

Papa...

Squeezing his eyes shut and shaking his head, Lucky glanced back up, cheeks still blotchy and stained. This was something for another day—the only thing that mattered right now was that it had been done before, successfully.

“So it can be done again.”

_Would you still be here if it couldnt?_

“How? What do I have to do? Please tell me.”

The lioness plucked up a small, red bloom and twisted it back and forth in her fingers.

_Nothing so complicated. Pieces are already in place, it gets easier every time. The only difference is that you are a new piece in the puzzle. Are you ready to make a deal?_

“A deal? What kind?”

She began to gently, and slowly, pick the tiny petals off the clover flower one by one, letting each one float away one some breeze that Lucky couldn't feel before plucking the next.

_One worthy of returning their life to them._

“I have to give up my own for theirs?”

_In a sense. Not literally. You would give anything for them to return to you, yes?_

“Ye—yes!” He felt hope swell in his chest, butterflies swirling wildly within him. Was this it? Would this be the solution he'd been searching for?

_How about half your memories with each other?_

“ My memories? With Cruzi?”

_Half the memories you share with each other. Is that not a fair deal?_

It was. A small price to pay, he thought, to have them in his arms again. Surely there was a catch?

_Suspicious? I have no ill will towards you, I am here to guide you little one. I wish only to see you grow._

“......so half my memories with them. Right?” He sat straighter, heart pounding. Was this it?

_You've made your decision long before I even offered._

“Please. I need them back.”

She appeared to smile again, reaching a paw out and gently placing it on his head.

_I know. Remember little one—the ritual is only half of the equation._

He felt a surge of energy rush through his veins, a gust of wind kicking up around him.  
And then it was silent again. Lucky blinked a bit—or he thought he did, did he close his eyes? He couldn't see anything even though he swore his eyes were open. His arms felt heavy. Was someone calling his name?

“Lucky!!!”

***************

“He hasn't come home.” Asra paced within the little crystal shop, glancing out the window to the darkened sky repeatedly. Illain silently tended to Val's hair, gently running oil through the dark curls and braiding them out of the shaman's face.

“He's upset.”

“Because of me.”

“Because of everything. Asra, remember when you used to try and control everything because you thought you were doing it for the best interest?”

The magician fell silent, his eyes dropped in embarrassment for a moment.

“....Lucky is our only son. I just...I worry.”

“I'm your only husband, and look how well we're doing.”

A small chuckle left him and he walked over to watch Illain twist a small curl by Val's ear.

“I love and hate how well you know me.”

Gently tying the silk wrap around Val's hair, he turned and gave Asra a warm gaze and a soft smile.

“What kind of husband would I be if I didn't?”

Illain placed a gentle hand on Asra's chest, just over his heart. He responded by taking hold of it and pressing a kiss to his fingers.

But their moment was short lived. An unsettling feeling rested over them and the two tensed and glanced at each other in concern.

“Do you feel--”

Asra's words were cut off as a faint sigil suddenly glowed over his heart. The same one that he had once been branded with when he made his deal.

Illain stared, awestruck for a moment, before looking up at him in fear.

“Asra...?”

“Where's Lucky?”

The two ran out the door, but Illain skidded to a halt and glanced back towards the shop, torn between finding his son and staying to make sure Val and Sol were safe.

A feminine voice called to them. “Go!”

Portia ran up, a basket of food on her arm, jogging up to the steps of the house.

“I felt it too, but I think this is something you two have experience in. I'll stay here with them. Go on!”

“Thank you Portia.”

Taking his husband's hand, Asra began to run with Illain to try to find where Lucky may have gone off to.

*****************

“WOAH!”

Julian nearly fell out of his chair, feeling a familiar squeeze around his throat. Malak squawked and flapped furiously around the office.

“WH- WOAH. WOAH. HOLD ON-”

Getting up, he ran to the mirror on the wall and looked at himself. That sigil was glowing on his throat again.

“Oh shi-”

_CAW_

“He didn't! He did?? Oh man oh no oh geez-”

Grabbing his coat, Julian bolted out the door with Malak flying right behind him. He needed to find Asra ASAP.

*******************

They ran as fast as they could to their home, finding the shop empty.

“Where would he go?” Asra huffed, catching his breath.

“....maybe the ocean?”

“Why would he go to the ocean?”

Illain gave him a look. “It's where he spent the most time with Cruz.”

“....the ocean. Right.”

The pair took off again towards the beach, hopeful that they would see him somewhere on the shore. As they passed by the forest line, Illain skidded to a stop and stared at the foliage.

“Wh-Illain! What is it?”

The redhead knelt down and plucked up a small flower, standing up and looking at it with confusion.

“Asra.....look.”

“It's a flower.”

“....these clovers used to be white.”

They looked up and saw the red spanning out across the clover patch for as far as they could see. Looking at each other with concern, they discarded the thought of the beach and ran into the patch up the hill.

“There he is!”

Lucky's fiery hair stood out against the green of the plants, his purple sweater even more of a contrast. He sat hunched over, silent, unmoving.

“Ohmygod please be okay.”

“Lucky!!”

They ran as fast as they could to reach him, lungs burning for oxygen. The relief of finding him was sweet—and short lived. The closer they got, the clearer the scene became.

Something was faintly glowing on the back of his neck, just under his hairline, and he was holding...

“....Oh. Lucky.”

It was like he came back to reality all of a sudden, looking around at the sky in confusion before looking down at his arms.

They were there. Cruz was there, curled up in his lap, pressed against his chest, unconscious but alive.

They were alive.

Lucky started to laugh, and then cry, hugging them tightly.

“Lucky...”

He looked towards the voice, towards his parents, tears falling down his cheeks, looking beyond exhausted.

He smiled.

“I...I did it.”

The magician stared in shock and vague horror, knowing that the worst has probably yet to come. What was the cost? How did it manifest? Is his son really okay?

“Guys! GUYS!”

Illain looked towards the noise to see Julian booking it in their direction.

“Guys something happened! My mark! I think that may—Ooooohhh. Oh. Oh dear.”

Slowing to a jog and then a full stop, Julian's shoulders slumped and he stared slack jawed at the scene before him. Running his hands through his graying locks, he let out a low whistled of a sigh.

“........well this is a conundrum.”


	14. The Arcana (Second Gen) - Part 5

The walk back to the crystal shop was silent. Well, mostly silent. Julian was muttering here and there to himself, theorizing about what is and isn’t, consequences and benefits, what might happen and what might not. Asra was carrying Cruz, Lucky holding onto their hand and refusing to let go, and Illain had his arm around Lucky’s shoulders. When they got closer to the house, Portia ran out with enthusiasm quickly followed by shock.

“Ohmygod. Is...are they-“

“Alive.”

She sucked in a breath at Asra’s confirmation and then let it out in one go, glancing over at her brother.

“Ilya??”

“I’m fine Pasha, don’t worry.”

He caught her in a hug, sharing a sigh of relief that this didn’t seem to be an exact repeat of the past. The group entered the home, barring the door behind them and closing the curtains as if it would shut out the world for just a moment. Val was laying down on the couch in the same position Portia had placed them in when she got there, quiet rustling was heard upstairs. Illain spoke quietly, fearing too much of a disturbance. “We should handle this incredibly gently. Val is already so fragile, and I don’t know what state Sol is in right now-”

“Zita?”

Sol was peering over the railing, the cast of light and shadow from below onto their face highlighting just how exhausted they were. They ran to the stairs, stumbling down and tripping into the wall before straightening up and running over.

“Sol hold on-“

“Give me them!!! Let go!!”

They tore Cruz from Asra’s arms before he could protest, stumbling and falling backwards against the couch with their twin in their lap. 

“Zita??? Zita!”

Their fingers combed through dark curls, thumb stroking their cheek, and Sol pressed their forehead to Cruz’s and cried. The older adults looked cautiously at each other before turning back to the scene before them.

“You’re back. Zita I can feel your breathing I can feel you again— can you feel me??”

They made a small noise, brow furrowing for a moment before relaxing again, but they remained unconscious.

“Lets get you two to bed-“ Asra reached for them but Sol slapped his hand away. They ignored him and did their best to pull Cruz over to the couch as Illain rubbed his arm to ease him a bit from the harsh rejection.

“Apa!! Apa Zita is home! They’re home!”

At some point Val had sat up during all this, their head turning slightly towards Sol.

“I know we said to do this slowly but....” Julian walked over and picked up Cruz from their struggling twin, sitting on the couch next to Val. “Val?”

It could have been described as a spell being broken. Their sterling silver eyes fell onto their child, limp in the doctor’s arms, and less than a second later they had snatched them from him and were cradling them closely. A string of Spanish fell from their lips, murmuring soothing words, gently rocking back and forth.

“Move.” Sol shoved Julian out of the way and took his spot, taking hold of Cruz’s hand. The softest sigh fell from Cruz’s lips, the rise and fall of their chest pulling a wave of relief over them.

“I think I’ll get some tea started.” Illain stepped over to the kitchen, tense with worry but relieved that The Sepulvedas seemed to be returning to their old selves.

“It’s gonna be a long night.” Portia muttered in agreement, stepping over to help just to take her mind off everything.

Asra placed his hands on Lucky’s shoulders, who appeared to be mildly dissociated. “Lucky?”

His amethyst eyes were locked onto Cruz, breaking his gaze only when his father gave him a gentle shake.

“Huh?”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I’m...I'm fine.”

The magician’s brow furrowed and he passed a hand briefly over him, a faint glow of magic signaling his actions. 

“Dad I’m fine.”

“Please just let me ease my worries a bit. Do you feel different?”

“No, I feel fine. Just...tired.”

Asra remained quiet for a moment before continuing.

“Lucky....what did you sacrifice for this?”

He stayed quiet, looking at Cruz, then quietly spoke up. “Half our memories together.”

“I see.”

A small nod signaled his understanding, and he ushered his son towards the stairs, deciding that they could continue this tomorrow. Lucky refused to comply, though, stubbornly pushing his way to the couch to sit with the trio. Asra gave a look of defeat to his husband who merely shrugged and poured a few cups of tea, which Portia proceeded to pass out.

**************

“He has a mark on the back of his neck now. I saw it when you were using your magic.” Illain whispered to Asra as they sat in the bay window. Val was curled up on the large beanbag chair with Cruz clutched to their chest. Sol curled up against their twin’s back, all three of them passed out. Julian was snoring softly on the couch, Portia busying herself with some late night house chores. They could tell she was stressed, but she was always very good as hiding it and putting her energy elsewhere.

Lucky sat quietly on the floor before the beanbag, swaying slightly with exhaustion but refusing to be moved anywhere else. Asra sighed at the sight of him, his husband gently resting a hand on his thigh.

“When you did the ritual, you gave up half your heart for me. What do you think he gave up?”

The magician shook his head, slumping against the glass a bit. “He said it was half their memories together but...you know how The Arcana are. I have no idea exactly. We won’t know until he decides to talk about it, or maybe when Cruzi finally wakes up.”

“...do you think they’ll....be like I was?”

“.....I don’t know.”

The couple looked worriedly at the scene before them, at their son. Illain tensed up at the thought, his grip tightening a bit.

“I don’t know if Lucky will be able to handle that....” 

“No, it’s...it’s not easy.”

A moment of silence fell between them, then Illain took hold of his hand and squeezed it.

“The good thing is that if it does happen, at least you know what to do. He wont be stumbling in the dark. We can help him.”

Asra nodded, kissing his knuckles. “Right.”

Looking back at the group, Lucky had slumped over onto the floor and was completely passed out. They stood up and walked over just as Portia gently lifted his head and slid a pillow beneath it. They draped a blanket over him, with a few more pillows, and found a place within the living room to sleep themselves.

Tomorrow was going to be rough, whether Cruz woke up or not. They needed to rest and be ready for the worst.

*****************************

Morning came faster than it needed to, but all of them had gotten a late start. The older group had risen and were getting ready for the day, Val joining Illain and Portia in the kitchen while Asra and Julian discussed possibilities of the obstacles to come.

“Val, how did you sleep?” The redhead asked, a freckled hand gently placing a pot of water on the stove to boil.

“Fine. I’m fine.” They looked over their shoulder at their children still sleeping on the beanbag. Lucky had been picked up from the floor and placed in their spot, all three of them cuddled up like they used to when they were children.

“......So, Cruz-“

“Si, lo se. I was dissociated, not brain dead.” They sighed and kneaded at some dough to busy their hands. “I am overjoyed that they have been returned to me. And I am grateful that you, Asra and Portia stepped in to help us out during the worst part of...of all this. But I understand what has happened here. I’m just not sure how it happened, or what needs to be done.”

Asra looked up, rubbing his tired eyes before speaking. “I’m not sure. We won’t know the repercussions of this until Cruz wakes up. Best case scenario is it’s...like it was the first time. We can manage that. Worst case, the consequences are so severe we have to reverse this.”

Val deadpanned him and without hesitation—“I will kill you with my bare hands before I let you take my child from me.”

The sincerity behind the threat was terrifying, enough so that Asra felt a chill run up his spine, feeling the wave of the emotion off of Val full force. Their empathic powers really drove points home sometimes.

“There will not be a worst case scenario, we can remain hopeful. Anyway, Val, we wouldn’t ever dream of doing that to you. Right, Asra?” The look he gave his husband was almost as chilling as Val’s statement, and Asra vaguely felt like he was backed into a corner by two very determined mother wolves protecting their young.

He swallowed a gulp and nodded. “Absolutely. We won’t think about such a thing.”

Julian’s leg shook under the table and he nodded quickly in agreement.

“Mmmyep! That is absolutely not going to happen. Everything is going to be fine. A-anyway, it might be different. Asra, when you did the ritual Illain had been gone for about a year, and his body was ...er....not viable.” The doctor paused and shrugged a small apology for the bluntness of the statement before continuing. “Cruz’s death occurred less than 2 weeks ago, and their body is fine.”

Val nodded. “ Bless Nadia for her generosity preparing their funeral. Though I know she felt to blame for it.”

They seemed to struggle saying the sentence, the thought of their child gone from this world, but Val shook the thought and steeled themselves, knowing this was necessary to discuss. After being quiet for so long, Portia finally spoke up. “Well I think we should take a break from these heavy thoughts for now and focus on these delicious eggs and French toast I just whipped up. Breakfast time!”

They smiled at her positivity, always making the best of whatever situation she had to work with.

“Pasha my darling angel baby sister~”

“Yeah yeah I’ll get you coffee you old geezer.”

Julian faked offense at her comment, throwing in dramatics for extra effect. They all shared a laugh, much like the old times when they were younger.

****

Halfway through the breakfast, Sol woke up with a grumbly tummy.

“Mmrrghghhh....I want food.”

A big stretch and a yawn woke their bones, a slight part of anxiety in their chest as they wondered if last night was a dream. A quick glance to their left confirmed that it wasn’t and they immediately relaxed upon seeing their twin asleep before them.

“Morning Sol. I made French toast and eggies!” Portia beamed.

“Aahh ahmmm how about we start with some buttered toast and tea? Sol you haven’t eaten solid food in 3 days. Your stomach needs to adjust.” Julian butted in, earning a look of disapproval from his sister.

“Uugghh, fine.” She huffed but proceeded its the suggested breakfast anyway knowing it was for the best. Sol attempted to push themselves up but found that they were weaker than they were yesterday, earning them a nod and a low “Mhhmmmm” from Julian.

“See?? You don’t eat and your body doth protest.”

Val walked past him with a cup of tea, handing it to Sol with a kiss on their head.

“Tiene razón, amor. Start small, you can build your strength back up slowly.”

They glanced at Cruz, kneeling down to tuck their hair behind their ear.

“...I hope they wake up soon.”

The shaman gave their child a small smile and a nod, glancing over at Lucky for a moment before returning to the kitchen. Portia was quickly past them, delivering a warm, freshly buttered piece of bread that Sol proceeded to nibble on.

The morning conversation continued with Sol listening quietly. They were invested in a particular fun fact Julian was going off about when they felt a slight rustle next to them. A small groan of displeasure followed and something heavy leaned on their shoulder.

“.....Zita?”

The room fell dead silent, everyone turned to look at the twins in anticipation. Cruzi was leaning sleepily on Sol’s shoulder, a yawn, slow blinking. And then they grabbed their twin’s forearm to pull their hand closer and took a bite from their toast with a small “ahm”.

“.....Z...Zita?” Sol repeated.

“Wha?”

“Are...you okay??”

Asra glanced at Illain with a bit of shock, recalling that when he first woke, he couldn’t even speak.

Cruz shrugged and took another bite, chewing slowly. “I’m sleeby. And I have a crick in my neck.”

Ecstatic, Sol threw their arms around their twin and hugged them, earning a confused look and slight swatting to get off.

Val came back over and knelt down before them, brushing their hair back.

“Do you remember anything??” 

Pale green eyes blinked sleepily at them for a moment. “Like what? I remember....the garden at Nadia’s? Kinda blanked out on the rest of the weekend though....” Cruz turned and looked into the kitchen, finally registering the full house. “Why is everyone here??”

“You recognize us??” Asra stood and approached slowly, met with a look of confusion and an awkward laugh. “Yes?? Asra, Illain, Pasha, Ju-Jan.”

They began to feel a bit uneasy at the tension settling in the room, the looks of seriousness and concern they were all sharing with each other.

“...why are you all acting like I died or something?”

“Uh, well—“ Portia’s hand slapped so quickly onto Julian’s mouth that he would have a red mark there for the next hour. 

“You just had a uh..rough weekend. We wanted to make sure you were good.”

“Oh.” They looked at Sol who nodded in agreement.

“Drunken shenanigans. Golden Goose and whatnot.”

“Oh. Pfftt god I hope I didn’t do anything embarrassing.”

They placed their hands on their flushed cheeks and giggled a bit in embarrassment. In the kitchen, Asra looked back towards Illain with relief. A feeling passing between them that everything seemed to be alright.

As soon as it did, Lucky stirred and stretched with a sigh, sitting up groggy and woozy. A few slow blinks brought him into the world of the living as Val patted his knee with a “Buenos dias Lucky.”

He rubbed his eyes with a yawn and looked to his right, pausing a moment to register the world.

But when he did his eyes lit up like stars, smiling widely and throwing his arms around Cruz.

“You’re awake!! Cruzi you’re awake!”

He was overwhelmed, pulling back and placing his hands on their cheeks, pressing his nose and forehead to their own.

“Ohmygod you’re okay. You’re here. I missed you so much.”

Julian made vague hand gestures in the air, something along the lines of “no be quiet we haven’t talked about this yet”, but of course they were unnoticed.

Cruz grabbed his wrists and pulled his hands down, leaning back against Sol and staring at him startled.

“......Sorry, do I know you?”

Lucky’s felt his heart shatter in his chest, his happiness draining from his face along with the color.

“...wh...what?”

Everyone was shocked, looking at each other for some kind of direction. Sol leaned forward and pointed at him.

“Cruzi......that’s Lucky.”

“....I...I don’t know a Lucky....”

Their brows furrowed, head shaking slightly as they tried to remember.

Val placed a hand on his shoulder to steady the redhead, noticing his sudden weakness, feeling the intense emotion coming off of him in waves.

“Cruzi, amor. Lucky is Asra and Illain’s hijo.”

They looked to their parent, then back at Lucky who appeared as if he was about to cry. They shook their head again.

“I don’t....I don’t understand. How could I not know you??”

Asra and Illain started to inch closer, sensing that they were going to have to intervene pretty soon. Lucky took a shakey breath, hands trembling as Cruz let his arms go and took hold of Sol.

“Cruzi w....we...” He was losing it again. “...we’re each other’s. We grew up together. You don’t remember?? Going to the beach for hours hunting for sand dollars? Sitting in the clover fields? We-we had our first kiss there!”

“What?? I—I remember doing that but...but you weren’t there. It was just Sol and Me. A-and I never kissed anyone in the fields? I....I went there alone didn’t I—“ 

They suddenly gripped their head and cried out, a severe pain radiating inside their skull.

Illain rushed forward and grabbed Lucky, pulling him into his lap and hugging him tightly as Asra grabbed Cruz and placed his hand over their eyes. A quick glow of magic at work and they went limp in his arms, asleep.

Lucky stuttered, shaking, crying in his papa’s arms.

“I don’t understand. I don’t understand. It was only half our memories together. I don’t-I don’t understand.”

Val took Cruz from Asra, who looked sympathetically at his family before quietly speaking.

“The cost was half of your memories together....but it was the half with you in it.”

The way his son looked at him, broken and defeated, made his heart ache and he looked helplessly towards Illain who only hugged Lucky closer and muttered what comfort he could.


	15. The Arcana (Second Gen) - Part 6

It didn’t take long to figure out the catch.

“Monkey’s paw! Tricksters they are.” Julian tsked, looking at Lucky sympathetically. Asra has taken his family back home, Julian tagging along, and Portia remained with the Sepulvedas. They sat silently in the little shop, Lucky having retreated to his room to lay pathetically on the bed.

“So she took half in the sense of seeing them as a whole, right? Lucky and Cruz as one, minus.....minus Lucky.” Illain sighed sadly and looked down at his hands, wringing them nervously a bit before Asra took hold of them.

“It’s not out of character for them. But like you said, the good thing is that we’ve been through this once before.”

Julian nodded and spoke up, “It does seem like its not too far off from the way you described your experience. The incapacitating headaches when you tried to tell him his past. Maybe it’s...one of those things that just has to be eased into?”

“I’m thinking so.” Asra gave his husband’s hand a quick squeeze. “There must be a lesson to be learned here. We all came out changed after all was said and done, for the better. We grew as people. There must be something Lucky has to learn about himself before this can be remedied.”

“I think...that’s a journey our son has to make on his own. We can at least provide what we can to help guide him.” Illain added.

The group nodded and looked towards the upper level of the shop. Asra stood up and sighed, squeezing his husband’s shoulder before heading towards the room. Illain and Julian continued to discuss quietly, waiting for him to report back. It would be better not to overwhelm him with company right now.

“Lucky?” He gently opened the door, finding the young man curled up on his bed. He approached and sat by his legs, a hand coming to softly rest on his hip.

“Let’s talk a bit.”

Lucky stayed quiet but Asra knew he was listening.

“This isn’t....the end of the world, but I know it feels like it. Having something that means so much to you ripped away and then..getting it back with a catch is truly cruel. And I understand what you’re feeling.”

“It was papa you lost.”

He stayed quiet a moment, letting out a long sigh before nodding.

“...yes. Illain.....Illain had died of the plague while I was being a coward. I felt guilty so I...performed the ritual. The consequences of that were far more severe than these, it affected all of Vesuvia.”

“Was papa like this when he came back?”

“He was worse. Completely comatose. I had to essentially teach him how to be a functioning human being again.”

Lucky turned onto his back to look at his father, two sets of purple eyes finally meeting each other.

“How did you fix it?”

“It...was not easy. Lucky, you are...aha, you’re lucky. Cruz is in far better shape than Illain was. But they’re still cursed with the deal you struck. If you try to say anything to them about what they’ve forgotten, it will hurt them. And doing it too much will...might completely break them and you’ll risk losing them forever.”

His son sat up and gave him an inquisitive look. “Is that was happened to papa?”

“Almost. I was far too stubborn, and it almost cost Illain that second chance I worked so hard to get him. But I adapted, persisted, and with patience he made a full recovery.”

“How long did it take?”

The magician smiled a bit sadly, sighing and patting his son’s thigh.

“Over a year.” He continued to speak after seeing Lucky’s face fall. “But your situation looks far more promising than ours did. Illain had been....gone for a year by the time I came back. Cruz was only gone for two weeks. They’re talking, eating, living as they did before everything happened. Just...with the catch.”

Lucky’s gaze dropped and he stared blankly into the pattern on his sheets, Strength’s words echoing in the back of his head.

_Patience and compassion, little one._

“.....You can help me?”

“We can guide you, but we can’t fix this. This is a task for you and you alone.” Asra took his son’s hands and squeezed them. “It will be difficult, but we’ve been through this before. We will be here to help where we can, but you are the one who has to overcome this. This is your responsibility.”

“Its heavy.”

“It is. But I know you’re strong.”

Despite how his heart ached, and how his stomach felt like an endless pit, Lucky felt hopeful. He pulled his hands free and crawled into Asra’s lap, and his father wrapped his arms around him and gently rocked him like he used to when he was a fussy toddler.

“You're getting too big for this, aren’t you?”

“I can still fit in your lap, can’t I?”

Asra let out a low chuckle and continued to rock him until Lucky shuffled out of his grasp. Eventually they would come out to the kitchen in better spirits, hopeful that things would slowly begin to improve.

***********************************

Sol and Val sat quietly at the table as Cruz spoke, rambling about everything on their mind. Portia placed her hands on her hips and cocked her head to the side.

“You really don’t remember him?”

“No! But that doesn’t make any sense if I know his parents!!”

They dropped their head into their hands and sighed, Sol automatically rubbing their back for comfort.

“It’s okay Zita. We’ll figure this out.”

“I just don’t understand. You all make it seem like he’s so important to me, but I can’t remember a thing. And every time I try to my head starts to hurt.”

Val shifted in their seat and pulled their shawl a little closer around them. “We can take this slow, amor. We don’t have to tackle this all in the same moment.”

They sniffed, rubbing their eyes a bit as they sat up. “I feel so bad. He looked so hurt....”

“Zita, stop thinking about it. It’s okay. Lucky will be okay. We all will.”

Portia set down a small plate of snacks and scooted in next to the twins. “He may be a whiney boy, but Lucky is resilient. Just like a patch of clovers— trample em down and they sprout back up and flourish. Can’t get rid of em if you tried.”

The thought made Cruz giggle and it put them a bit at ease. They decided that perhaps they should go talk to him sometime in the future. 

“We should go see Nadi this afternoon, I need to get back to the castle anyway.”

And it was an ordeal in itself. Nadia was overwhelmed upon seeing the twins reunited walking up to her steps.

“Cruz!! Oh darling!” She rushed down the stairs and pulled them into a hug, uncharacteristically planting little kisses on their face. 

“Nadiii!! Staaahhp!” They giggled as she brushed their hair out of their face.

“Oh you’re here, you’re here again. I can’t believe it. You’re alive and well.”

She hugged them tightly, on the verge of crying with joy at their return. Cruz looked at everyone confused, hands making little motions of “what is happening” towards them.

“Cruzi, you had a heck of a weekend, remember? That’s why you can’t remember it.”

Portia said, emphasis on “remember”. Nadia caught on immediately and straightened up, clearing her throat and composing herself.

“Yes. Yes it was a very uh...eventful gathering. I was concerned that you have some lingering.... negative....symptoms from the entire thing.”

“Nope, but I do get headaches whenever people mention...certain stuff. .....Huh. I can’t even remember what that stuff is...”

“Well. Let’s get you all inside, we don’t need to be gathering here. You’re welcome to hang in the g-...the rooms, halls, the balcony.”

The subtle looks from everyone had clued her in, and as soon as they separated the countess was brought up to speed. At this point everyone was updated on the entire situation, it was only a matter of time to see what came of it.

*******************************

It was two days before Lucky went over to the crystal shop, walking in with a small item tucked under his arm. 

“Hey Lucky!” Sol peeked up from behind the counter. Cruz glanced over awkwardly, gaze dropping a bit in embarrassment as they continued sorting crystals into their drawers.

He took a small breath and put on his trademark smirk. “Hi~ Watcha up to?”

“Work. The thing you don’t know the definition of.” Sol gave him a smug grin as he rolled his eyes at them and approached the counter. He set down the small item and looked to Cruz.

“Hey, sorry for the awkward...thing the other day. I must’ve been a bit out of my mind. I hope I didn’t upset you too much.”

They looked up and smiled sheepishly, shrugging a bit and avoiding eye contact.

“Its fine, sorry. It’s kind of my fault too. You looked really upset.”

“Nightmares. I must’ve just woken up without realizing I was awake yet. Anyway....” He smiled, sliding the little package over to them. “I brought you something. Peace offering if you will. For all the trouble.”

Sol watched silently as Cruz set the box down and picked up the item, gently unwrapping the parchment paper and looking pleasantly surprised.

“Ooh is this one of Selasi’s salted sugar tarts??”

“Mhm. Fresh out of the oven about 30 minutes ago.”

“Ohmygod I love these. Thank you!”

They looked to their twin and hugged the baked good a bit out of reach, “I’m not sharing.”

Sol looked offended and huffed. “Hey!! What??”

They laughed and Cruz set it down on the counter before coming around to stand before him, giggling a bit at the fact that he only came up to their chin but still looked so smug.

“Um....I feel like I should know you, but I don’t. Everyone else does but I don’t know why I can’t seem to recall anything. I’m sorry.”

Lucky’s heart thumped in his chest, that sinking feeling hitting him a bit, but he kept a smile and held a hand out, cocking his head to the side.

“Well let’s meet. I’m Lucky.”

“Cruz.” They gently took his hand and shook it, feeling a familiar warmth blossom in their chest.

“I should go back to the shop, my parents probably need help.”

“With what, you just lay around and talk to people.” Sol sniped.

“Um, I also look pretty, and my alluring personality brings in customers.”

“Boooooo that joke was bad.”

“I’m not joking, I’m gorgeous!”

Cruz couldn’t help but laugh at the interaction, tucking a curl behind their ear and earning a smile and a small chuckle from him.

“You guys sound like long time friends with the way you talk to each other.” They looked at Lucky. “I hope I can be that good of a friend to you too.”

He felt a warmth on the back of his neck and unconsciously rubbed at the spot before stepping back a bit.

“You will be. I have a feeling.”

Winking at them, he turned and left the shop, letting out a heavy sigh as soon as he was out of eyesight. His chest was pounding, he had butterflies, but....it wasn’t terrible. He could do this.

Patience and compassion. 

Sol gave a disgusted look at the door, looking at their twin with a slight sneer.

“Ew, who winks at people?”

“Ohmygod you’re so judgey!! Sol you’re so mean, now I’m really not sharing my tart with you.”

“Noooo share the goodie!!!”

“He came all this way to apologize and be friends and you’re roasting him!!”

“I don’t regret it!!”

The two bickered playfully, ultimately sharing the tart in the end before completing their task. As Cruz carried the empty boxes to the back of the store, Sol stood with a sense of relief, feeling like everything might just be alright. 


	16. The Arcana (Second Gen) - Part 7

And so he was patient.

Having lasting friendship with Sol made it easier to adjust to, giving him a reason to spend time with Cruz. Every Friday Lucky would come with a treat for them—just like he used to, and slowly they fell into a pattern of normalcy. Or as close to it as they could get.

They would disappear to the beach, the forest, the clover fields, walk around the market, go to the theater, visit Nadia at the palace. Everything they used to do, just....a little different.

The first few weeks were like he expected they would be. Like he had just made a new friend and was working on building that relationship up.

_They'll come back to me soon._

He had to keep reminding himself of that, knowing what he did about the situation from his father. It wasn't impossible. He could do this.

It didn't take long for Cruz to fall into a comfortable pattern with him, which he hoped was a result of the past he was longing to recover. They seemed to click into place, quickly picking up old mannerisms and jokes that he had thought were long lost. Sometimes it would be concerning.

Lucky recalled one day they were walking on the beach, wading through the low tides. Cruz had pointed out a sea urchin in a tidepool, to which he had responded by calling it “sea pincushion”, like they once had.

Somehow that was enough to trigger their headache, and Cruz clutched their head and fell to their knees. Sol grabbed them and did their best to soothe them out of it, Lucky trying to think quickly to recover. Throwing out any other name to distract from the one that pulled this response.

“Seaspines! Or those desert rollybois! But ocean version!”

It worked-- they squinted up at him, rubbing their temples and apologizing.

“Sorry, I don't know why my head suddenly started aching like that.”

“Migraine probably. Let's get you home.”

Sol picked them up and the two walked on either side of Cruz to get them back home, laying them down on the couch to let them nap off the ache.

As they slept, Lucky and Sol quietly talked amongst themselves a little ways away.

“You have to be careful.” They chided.

“I know, Sol. I didn't realize that it would trigger them.”

His shoulders slumped a bit and they placed their hands on them, giving him a gentle shake.

“Hey...it's okay. Learning curves, right?”

“Yeah.”

And from then on he carefully chose his words around them—comfortable, but not too comfortable.

The shock would come when they woke up an hour or so later.

“I had the weirdest dream.”

“Yeah?”

Cruz blushed, laughing a bit in embarrassment.

“It's...embarrassing.”

Their twin nudged them with a raised brow. “Ohh? Some dreamy prince in your head sweeping you up to far off lands?”

“Pfftt no no...just...” They looked at Lucky. “Don't laugh at me, okay?”

“I promise.”

A breath to steel themselves first, “We were on the beach, like earlier, but we were kids. You were complaining about sand in your sandals, and you had the floofiest hair.”

Cruz giggled about it but the other two remained stoic, glancing at each other briefly before they had continued.

“We were walking back because you wouldn't stop whining, but before we got back you had picked a little white flower and put it in my hair. It was really cute....and also the only time you stopped complaining.”

“Wow, dream Lucky sounds just like real life Lucky.” Sol grinned. Lucky felt that warm sensation on the back of his neck again, shaking his head and laughing a bit.

“I'm a gentleman even in dreams, Sol. Don't you know?”

“A whiny gentleman.”

“But still a gentleman.”

Cruz laughed and got up, rolling their eyes at the two as they went to get a snack. But they had stayed where they were and looked at each other knowingly.

It was a memory.

****************************

Winter came quicker than it felt like it needed to. Cruz had had several more instances of memories returning as dreams, luckily without repercussions. No one ever said a word otherwise, but they knew the truth behind them. Lucky grew ever more hopeful seeing them slowly return to their old self, feeling a sense of peace in the comfort they had come to settle in with each other. The way they cuddled up in a pile together was nostalgic, and he had to occasionally close his eyes and think of something else to avoid getting emotional about it. Sometimes he played it off as napping—it let him snuggle a bit closer without Cruz poking fun at him.

The winter ball came around, Nadia's yearly holiday banquet, and they had all gone together.

“Cruz, you're absolutely stunning.” Lucky held their hand and twirled them to send their gown flaring. They blushed under their decorative veil and giggled about it.

“Oh stooopp, I just look fancy. You know Nadia loves dressing us up. Anyway look at you, handsome~”

“I am, thanks for noticing.”

“Pfftttt.”

Offering his arm to them, they walked into the main hall, beaming and chatting about this and that. At some point they separated to visit with other individuals, though Lucky desperately wished to stay as near them as possible, but they were polite and met where they were requested.

It was closer to the end of the night when he was looking for them that he saw someone chatting them up, making them laugh like he used to. Who was that?

“Oh, Lucky!”

_Put a smile on._

He did, walking over and settling into Cruz's side. “You made a friend.” 

“Mhm! This is Xena.”

“Hello!”

Amethyst eyes glanced her over just briefly, picking up every bit of visual information as possible within a couple of seconds.

“Nice to meet you. Just visiting Vesuvia?”

She laughed. “I live on the outskirts, so in a way yes. Are you the best friend who's gonna play 20 questions at me because I'm flirting too much with Cruz?”

The corner of his mouth twitched just slightly, but he kept his smile. “Absolutely. Only the best for my bestie.”

“Ohmygod stop you two, what is this, Vesuvian Bachelorette?”

Xena grinned, “Can be. But stuff like that requires dates, so how bout I meet you on the balcony in about 10 minutes for some Golden Goose?”

They laughed, “Wooow. That's your pick up?”

“Did it work?”

“Pffttt yes.”

A couple of finger guns and a wink later and she had walked away, leaving the pair to converse.

“What do you think, Lucky? Does she have a chance?”

“That's for you to decide, not me.”

“Mm...you sound disappointed.”

He straightened up and shrugged, moving in front of them and reaching out to adjust their outfit just slightly.

“I only want the best for you. You two seem to be getting along well.”

They gave him a sympathetic look and a sigh, booping his nose with their finger.

“Lucky you're my best friend. Promise you'll tell me if something isn't right, or if something is bothering you?”

He could only honor that so much right now but....

“I promise.”

Their smile was beautiful to him, and it had him smiling with just as much warmth.

“Okay. I'm gonna go meet her, but watch me okay? If I do this--” they made a hand signal--”everything is terrible and I need you to bail me out.”

Lucky laughed, taking their hand and kissing their knuckles. “Committed to memory, I gotchu.”

“Thanks Clover.” They hugged him tightly, and then walked away, giddy with excitement about it.

He paused, frozen in place as they moved past him, heart slamming against his ribcage. They hadn't called him that in so long. The ache in his chest reminded him just how much he missed it. Taking a shakey breath, Lucky snatched up a flute of some bright orange liquid and walked over to a more elevated and less crowded spot to do just what he promised he would—watch.

************************

Cruz and Xena had gotten along splendidly, much to his dismay. One date had turned into two, then three..2 weeks turned into a month, into 3 months, and they had gone from friends to partners, to lovers.

They were together, and Cruz was never shy to talk with Lucky about everything.

He was their best friend, after all.

“Is it normal to feel like things are numbing out but not?”

“What?”

Cruz laughed. “That sounds bad. Like....when you have the new person fuzzies in your tummy, and you're all excited to spend time with them. But then after a while you start to lose those fuzzies but you're just...calm? Like content and happy with them?”

Lucky gave a small chuckle and rested his chin on his hands. “Like us?”

“What?”

He sat up and waved his hand in the air a moment. “I mean like how we were when we met, and now we're fine and chill.”

“O-oh. Pftthahaha. Yeah, you're right. It is normal then. I'm just being weird about it.

Cruz got up from his bed and walked over to the window, pushing it open and leaning out to look down at the view.

“It's nice today, we should go to the beach! We can get Sol and Xena to come too!”

Lucky fiddled with the hem of his blouse, staring a bit too intently at the woven pattern of the textile before speaking.

“I think I'm gonna stay in. Papa and I were gonna have some tea together this afternoon once he got back from the palace, I don't wanna miss him.”

The look they gave him broke his heart a bit, but he gave them a small smile and a shrug.

“Aww, well I'll miss having you there. Maybe next time?”

“Yeah maybe.”

When Cruz left he was all well wishes and warm smiles, and the second the door closed the facade dropped. Somber, depressed, feeling empty inside. It took everything in him to keep up appearances, but he was starting to falter and it was only a matter of time until he broke.

He didn't want to break in front of them.

***************************

“Is Lucky okay?”

Cruz fiddled with their spoon, swirling around the soup in their bowl. Sol paused mid bite and stared at them, finishing their sip and wiping their mouth before speaking.

“What do you mean?”

“He just seems....different.”

“Different how?”

“I don't know. Everything seems fine, but it feels wrong. I keep...every time he's around I keep feeling something coming off of him, but I can't place it.”

Their twin's gaze dropped a moment, nodding in agreement. “I know what you mean. I feel it to.”

“When I asked him if he wanted to go to the beach with you, me and Xena he refused. He said he was waiting to spend time with Illain but....I could feel him lying.”

Sol's lips pressed together in a thin line, sitting back in their chair with a soft sigh.

“What is the point of this empathy if I can't figure out what's wrong with my friend?” Cruz continued.

“You know it took Apa a while to figure out how it worked too.”

Pushing their bowl away, Cruz brought their knees up to their chest and sighed.

“He doesn't hang out with us as much anymore. We used to go to the beach and everywhere together. Now whenever I ask he just....stays home.” Their brow furrowed. “Actually I don't even think I've really seen him out and about at his usual places either...”

“I think...” Sol paused, carefully considering their words. “I think that Lucky just....might be going through something heavy right now.”

“Why wouldn't he tell me? He knows we would help him.”

They looked hurt. Sol took their hands and laced their fingers together, leaning against the table and shrugging.

“Maybe this is something he wants to do on his own. It's okay for people to do that. He might not be ready to ask for help from anyone. Or maybe he just...doesn't want to bog anyone down with it. I don't know Zita, but whatever it is I'm sure Lucky has a good reason for it.”

“....yeah....okay.”

Silence fell for a few moments, Sol pulling their soup back to them to finish eating. The bustle from outside the shop was heavily muted through the windows, shadows from passersby cutting shapes across the floor. Cruz spoke up again.

“....do you think he's upset about Xena?”

Sol coughed, choking on their food and startling their twin for a moment.

“Ughuh—sorry hguh, ahem. Y-you think that's what it is?”

“I don't—I don't know? I'm just guessing? Ever since we started dating he's been slowly peeling himself away from me. Doesn't he still hang out with you when you ask?”

“Yeah?”

“He won't even do that for me anymore.”

Sol shrugged. “I don't....know Zita. Lucky would have to tell you himself.”

“He'll lie to me.”

“Then maybe he's not ready to accept it if that's the case.”

Cruz sunk in their seat, looking like they were going to cry.

“I don't wanna lose my best friend Lita. But I don't want to sacrifice my relationship with someone for that...is that selfish?”

“No.” They chuckled a bit, thinking about how accurate of a statement it was for Lucky. He once said he would drop a suitor in a heartbeat if Cruz asked him to. “That's not selfish of you. And I don't think Lucky's being selfish either. Or maybe he doesn't think he is.”

“But...he's pulling away.”

“Yeah. But we know Lucky. He's not pulling away to hurt you, he's doing it to make sure he doesn't do anything that would harm your happiness.”

“...but him not being there is harming my happiness.”

_Ouch._ Sol winced.

“...I know. Listen. Zita, just trust him. Whatever he's going through, whatever he's doing about it, there must be a reason for it. I don't think he would just leave you behind like that. You're his best friend. You mean the world to him.”

They comforted their twin until a knock on the door signaled Xena's arrival. Of course she questioned why Cruz was a bit upset, but it was glazed over with the barest of explanations.

“Just...worried about Lucky is all.”

“Oh I hope he's okay.”

“Yeah me too.”

Sol decided to stay behind and let the two go on a beach date, bee-lining to Lucky's home the second they were gone.

*******************

“You know they can feel you when you lie to them.”

“Both of you can.”

“It's hurting them.”

Lucky rolled over to face away from Sol, clutching a pillow tightly. “I know. But I can't just....say whatever about it.”

Sighing, Sol flopped down next to him, snuggling up against his back.

“I know.” A pause. “.....it hurts you seeing them with someone else, doesn't it?”

“......it's eating me alive.”

Silence filled the space as they lay there absorbing the ambiance until Sol spoke up again.

“Do you think you'll ever get over it? If this is what's meant to happen?”

“No.” Quick, blunt. He knew already what the answer was. “But I'm good at pretending.”

Their conversation stopped there, and neither of them said another word for the rest of the evening.

*******************

Within the coming months Lucky had transitioned back into business as usual. It hurt him to see Cruz thriving with someone else, but it hurt him more to be away from them. It especially hurt him to know his absence was doing them harm as well, so he steeled himself and did his best to overcome the struggle.

_Do it for them._

So he did, and he couldn't even say it wasn't worth the pain. The way Cruz's face lit up when he finally showed up to hang out was...it was something he missed. How could he have been so selfish?

Seeing them comfy with Xena still felt like knives in his chest, but he had gotten better at ignoring it.

Xena had come to him one evening, when Cruz was having an episode of dissociation. She didn't know what to do, what was happening, and she couldn't get to Sol as fast as she could to him.

So he had gone over and helped. Explained the situation, showed her how to read Cruz's body language, how to take care of them.

“Sometimes things get too hard and they just...shut down. Cruzi has a lot of stuff swirling around in their head. But that's okay—just be there for them and it'll be okay. They recover quickly when they're have someone supporting them.”

“Gosh...how scary. I've never seen this happen to anyone until now.” She paused. “.....you really care about them, huh?”

Lucky refused to face them, instead keeping his attention towards washing Cruz's hair. “They're my best friend. I'd do anything for them.”

**************************

“Oh! Lucky I gotta tell you about the weird dream I had!” Cruz exclaimed, sitting up and brushing the sand off their hands.

“Another one?” Sol asked.

“Yeah! It was winter and we were all at the Masquerade—well no. I was at home, the Masquerade was happening but I didn't have really have anything I felt like wearing so I just didn't go.”

Xena rested her arms on her knees. “So you just skip out on THE masquerade because of that?? Doesn't sound like a good reason to miss out to me.”

“It is if you aren't feeling your appearance. There's a disparity sometimes.” Lucky stated, very matter of factly.

“You would say that, fashionista over here.”

“Nah,” Sol grinned. “That's Wren. Lucky's the model she can't properly dress without 3 migraines and one reconsideration of a career choice.”

“ _Oh how dare you_ ” Lucky stuck his tongue out at them as they laughed.

“Hahaha okay okay! Let me finish.” Cruz sat up. “So I was home eating a burrito and someone knocks on the door and it's like, the middle of the night. So I go to answer and I'm thinking 'Man I hope it's not someone trying to find an easy way to rob the place or some fancy prince, I look like shit.'”

“Well was it?” Xena leaned in.

“No it was Lucky.”

“UM. Ex-CUSE me is it burn Lucky hours??” He scoffed.

“All hours are burn Lucky hours.” Sol cackled.

“You sure have a lot of dreams about Lucky.” Xena questioned. “That's like...what, the 8 th one this month?”

“Shush, let me finish.”

Lucky glanced at Xena a bit smugly as she sat back on her arms, pursing her lips while Cruz continued.

“Anyway Lucky, you were there and you were holding these like...little flower braided masks that I KNOW you got Muriel to make for you, and you were in your pjs, which I know for a fact that you did not go to the masquerade in. And then you just looked at me and went 'You ready to go to the Masquerade?' And I was—hahaha, I was embarrassed cause I was covered in burrito crumbs and my pjs were all wrinkled and my hair was—I was just  _not_ cute.” They laughed again but looked at him and smiled. “But you still managed to take me to the masquerade and we had fun being the only people in jammies.”

He was smiling warmly, amethyst eyes sparkling as they recalled the dream. Another memory that had returned to them without them realizing it. Sol smiled and nudged their foot with their own.

“That's cute. Best masquerade ever, huh?”

“Oh yeah, I'd do that again.”

Xena huffed and sat up, brushing sand off her arms. “Well if we're still together when the next masquerade comes, we can jammie up.”

The wording was not lost on Cruz, but they ignored the comment and went about the conversation.

*****************************

At some point they separated into groups, Cruz walking with Xena in one direction and Lucky and Sol in the other.

“Their memories are coming back. More frequently, now.” Sol beamed.

“Mhm. I don't know what's making it happen but...I'm glad. Even if they don't realize it's a memory.”

Sol paused and put a hand on his shoulder, halting his movement.

“Are you going to try and tell them?”

Lucky shook his head, looking towards the ocean and smiling.

“No. They're doing good, they're happy. I don't need to put any pressure on them and stress them out.”

“Even though you don't like it?”

“It's not about me, Sol. I can hate it all I want, but if Cruz is happy and safe then...it is what it is. I'll accept that.”

“That's really selfless of you.....who are you and what have you done with Lucky?”

It was a joke, and the two shared a quick laugh about it before Sol continued.

“You know as much as I harass you for being a selfish baby....you're actually really compassionate and caring.”

“Yeah you used to hate that Cruz wanted to date me.”

“Pfffttt, yeah.” Sol gently shoved him before shoving their hands in their pockets. “Cruz always said you were the most patient and compassionate person they'd met. I thought they were bullshitting me. Never knew what they meant until now. I guess they saw this side of you that no one else ever could.”

“Cruz has always seen the world differently from everyone. The stuff that gets overlooked or hidden away, it's plain as day to them.” He smiled, glancing back towards the opposite direction where Cruz and Xena were walking. “I've always loved that about them.”

Eventually they turned and headed back to meet up with the other two to start a campfire on the beach before it got too dark to see.

As they neared each other, Sol felt a bit of unease hit them. Something was a bit off, but it wasn't a dangerous feeling.

Cruz was upset. They were hiding it really well, but Sol picked up on it immediately. A quick glance over to Lucky revealed that he knew something was up as well. They stayed silent on the matter, deciding that it was something to discuss in private at their discretion.

Until then, the group sat on the beach sharing stories like nothing was amiss.


	17. The Arcana (Second Gen) - Part 8

Sol and Lucky watched silently as Cruz paced back and forth, mumbling to themselves, visibly upset.

“Cruzi, you don’t have to tell us what happened, but at least tell us why you’re upset.” Their twin sighed at them. They pivoted on their heel again and threw their hands up, tired.

“Xena is upset because I keep having dreams about Lucky.”

The redhead pursed his lips and shifted in his seat. “That’s an oddly specific thing to be upset about.”

“I know! I keep telling her they’re just dreams but she’s—she just not having any of it.”

“It’s not like you control your dreams. Doesn’t she know that?” Sol questioned.

“Sounds like she has some insecurities.” 

“Lucky!” Sol raised a brow at him and scoffed.

“What? I’m not saying it to be mean, I’m serious. There must be a reason why she feels threatened by something like your dreams.”

Cruz pouted and crossed their arms. “They did feel kinda scared when they were telling me....well, some kind of fear was coming off of them.”

“I forget sometimes you and Sol are empathic.” He smiled. “Anyway, just talk to them. Maybe uncovering all that and discussing it might help.”

Their bright pale green eyes locked onto him for a long while, nodding slowly. It felt like they were looking into his soul for a moment, some kind of pull in his mind...

“You’re right. I’m gonna go see them.” Cruz quickly gave him a hug and a small cheek smooch, doing the same to their twin before heading to the door.

“Thanks for listening guys, I’ll be back later.”

The two waved, falling silent as the door shut for a few moments. Sol slowly raised a hand and dropped it on their freckled friend’s shoulder.

“They felt that.”

A small sigh left his lips. “....I know.” Another pause. “....do you think they know?”

“That you’re utterly in love with them? Maybe not to the extent you and I know it. But they definitely feel something from you.”

Lucky groaned and sat back in his chair, dragging his hands down his face. 

“This is gonna be my downfall. I can’t lie to them, I can’t hide my feelings from them.”

“Yeah but....I think that’s a good thing.”

“What?”

Sol gestured briefly as they explained. “They know what you’re feeling. And they can see just how much it conflicts with how you’re behaving. I think that’s admirable.”

The look Lucky gave them made them laugh.

“How is being a conundrum admirable?”

“Lucky, on top of being their best friend, Cruzi can tell that you’re not a fan of Xena. And they can tell you have some kind of something bubbling in your heart for them. But they can also tell that you’re respecting that they’re happy in their relationship and are as involved and supportive as you can be. And that is something Cruzi really appreciates.”

He looked pitiful for a moment, swallowing his disdain and staring blankly up at the ceiling.

“I do want them to be happy. Even if it’s not meant to be with me.”

Sol winced at the impact of the emotion coming off of him, patting his arm in a poor attempt at comfort.

“I’m positive Cruzi knows that. Now let’s stop being down about it. Selasi is rolling out a new recipe today and he promised if we got there before dinner crowds he’d let us taste it first.”

Lucky whined at Sol tugging at his arm but ultimately relented and followed to the marketplace—he did like free food....

************************************

They had repaired the hitch in their relationship, Xena confessing her fear and Cruz validating her and assuring there was nothing to worry about.

“He’s my best friend Xena, not competition. Yes he means everything to me, but so does Sol, and so do you.”

It was enough. She understood and accepted that this is part of Cruz’s life, and it was something they wouldn’t ever give up. Just as Cruz understood that she needed to be assured that she wasn’t just a replaceable piece in their life.

Communication and understanding. A good balance.

Things improved and life returned to business as usual—hang outs, date nights, weekend trips and marketplace walks. Cruz and Xena were happy, Sol and Lucky were content.

Things were good.

Until they weren’t.

It was about a month later when Cruz showed up to Lucky’s home in the middle of the night, wet from the beginnings of a downpour common in the late season. He could tell immediately something was wrong even before he had a good look at them.

“She left me.”

That was all they had to say. He didn’t ask questions, simply pulled them inside and hugged them while they cried. Quietly he ushered them up the stairs to his room to avoid waking his parents, shutting the door and separating them from the rest of the world.

“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

They sat quietly on his bed, sniffling and sup- supping, rubbing their blotchy eyes. He climbed up next to them, reaching his arms around to hold them as they leaned into his body.

“She said I was too much.” 

His heart broke, a small flash of anger that he quickly quelled down. Lucky knew they felt that, but he stayed quiet while they continued.

“She said that she can’t handle me when I’m out of my body so often. And that she doesn’t think my heart is really with her.”

“First of all, you’re not too much. You’ve never been too much.”

“Not for some people. I get that I can be hard to deal with like that-“

“Never.”

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Cruz couldn’t help but giggle through their hics.

“You’re always so sweet to me Clover.”

He looked at them like he always did, heart swelling.

“I’m just myself with you. I’m honest.”

“I know you didn’t really like her a lot but...”

Lucky held his hand up and shushed them, shaking his head. “That doesn’t matter Cruzi. You were happy. That’s all I wanted for you.”

They nodded again, hair dripping a bit. He noticed this and got up to grab a towel and some pjs for them—he still had a couple pairs they had left from before the accident. Silently he held them out, turning around and sitting with his back towards them so they could change, Cruz continued to speak.

“She kept saying my heart wasn’t with her. That she could always see it but never touch it. I thought maybe I wasn’t being affectionate enough, or letting her know as often as I should have.”

Lucky turn his head just enough to talk over his shoulder without invading their privacy.

“Was it so?”

“No.” Their wet clothes were gently discarded on the floor, pulling the warm top over their cool skin. “She said I was perfect at that. It’s just...she could hear a hollowness whenever I told her I loved her. That my heart would never truly be hers because it was already with someone else.”

“Is this still stemming from that insecurity about the dreams of me? I told her she didn’t have to worry about anything....”

“I think she knew that. But I think....she was right.”

Lucky felt his heart slam in his chest, taking a slow breath to calm himself before his emotions got too intense. Cruz continued, using the towel on their hair.

“I’m sad she ended it with me. But I don’t....regret it. I don’t feel guilty or like it was the wrong decision. I kind of feel...relieved.”

His mouth felt dry and he was absentmindedly chewing on his lip, listening to them speak. Their hands came to graze over his shoulders, arms wrapping around him as they hugged him from behind. He turned his head and felt his pulse race at the scent of their hair. They whispered to him.

“I think she was right. I think my heart is with you.”

_Ba-bum_ .

His heartbeat felt so loud, like it was ringing in his ears. Could they hear it too?? Pivoting to face them, he tensed up again when they kept close proximity to him, touching their forehead to his.

“Maybe my dreams really are more than just dreams.”

_They are_ .

“And I can feel you every time you’re with me, hell sometimes I think I feel you when you aren’t.”

_You do_ .

“I have this feeling I’m supposed to be here with you. I don’t know why, but I keep feeling this pull, even when I ignored it.”

Their breath was sweet, and their words were pulling all kinds of feelings from him. He did his best to quell them but he just...couldn’t. It was overwhelming, and Lucky knew Cruz was feeling every bit of it. Before he could speak on the matter, they gently pressed their lips to his, pulling a response in kind from him. A small pause, they kissed him again. His hands came up, cupping their face, savoring the moment.....and then pulling away.

“Stop. Not like this.”

He felt like he was out of breath, eyes squeezed shut with his face downward.

“O-oh....I’m sorry. I-I just-“

“No, no it’s- it’s fine. You did nothing wrong.”

They trembled a bit under his touch. “I should’ve asked, I just— I don’t know what came over me— I misread everything.”

“No!” His eyes shot open and he looked them in the eye. “You misread nothing. Everything you feel from me is...is the truth. I’m not hiding anything.”

“I don’t understand.”

Lucky paused, taking a moment to carefully choose his words. He pressed their foreheads together again.

“I don’t want this to be the way we come together. Not seeking comfort out of a negative experience. You need to heal and recover from Xena first before making any kind of decision like this.”

Letting go of their face, he pulled them in close and hugged the, tightly.

“But let me be honest—I do love you. I love you so much.”

The room fell quiet again, Cruz burying their face in his neck to cry a bit more. When they had calmed down, they scooted away a bit and pulled their knees to their chest.

“Sorry I made things awkward.”

“You didn’t.”

He smiled at them, earning one back that only made him smile wider.

“If anything, I’m the one who made it awkward. You know, confessing my love and whatnot.”

“At least you’re didn’t do it in an overly dramatic way like standing out in the rain.”

“Why would I wanna get wet for no reason?”

They shared a quick laugh before falling quiet again, fidgeting this way and that until Lucky spoke.

“How about we go to bed and see how we feel in the morning?”

“That sounds like a plan.”

They started to tuck in when he paused. “Do...you want me to sleep on the couch? So you don’t feel weird?”

Cruz looked at him dumbfounded and shook their head. “If I felt weird I would have walked home to my own bed. Clover come cuddle me.”

“Okay~”

He crawled under the plush covers with them and snuggled up, the warmth of each other putting them both to sleep fairly quickly, just like it used to when they were kids.

Cruz would have another dream that night, but they would keep it to themselves to talk about later.

They didn’t want to think about dying in a fountain after all they had just gone through, what a nightmare.


	18. The Arcana (Second Gen) - Part 9

It was still a bit awkward the next morning. They woke up cuddled up underneath a thick blanket with a mountain of pillows, blinking blearily at each other as consciousness slowly returned to them. When it did, they avoided eye contact and got up to ready themselves, making silent chatter here and there in an attempt to recover their normalcy. They spent at least 15 minutes sitting on the bed next to each other, quietly basking in the atmosphere. A shuffle of clothes here, a sigh there, their skin brushed against each other's once or twice—was it an accident?

“Breakfast is ready. I'm sure Daddy knows you're here. He always knows.” Lucky spoke softly. Cruz nodded and moved to get up but paused as they felt a small tug on their sleeve. Glancing back, Lucky's bright purple eyes looked straight at them.

“I know you can feel my fear, can I talk about it?”

He was right, they could feel him fretting since they woke up, but despite everything they took hold of his hand and nodded. “You can tell me anything, Clover.”

The nickname again—his heart thudded for a second before he continued.

“I made a really big confession to you last night. I don't regret it, but I am scared. I don't want...this to pull you away from me. You know...think differently of me and stuff. Even if my confession doesn't mean anything, even if it's not acted on just...” He paused and took another breath. “You're my best friend. I don't want to lose my best friend because of a love confession.”

Cruz's heart hammered in their chest, a swell of anxiety rising and falling that they weren't sure was theirs or his. But oh could they feel everything from him, mixing around, crashing over them. He was scared, excited, nervous, panicked almost.

They gave his hand a squeeze and smiled.

“Don't be afraid. Have you ever known me to pull away from someone for being honest with me?”

Lucky knew they had no idea the weight that question held, the depth of the meaning it had for him. Still, he shook his head, knowing far more than they could have anticipated.

“No. Never.”

“Then rest assured my sweet Clover. This isn't going to separate us. I'm glad you told me.”

They felt his relief settle over them, seeing his shoulders visibly relax as if a weight was literally lifted from them. Without thinking, he brought their hands to his lips and pressed a small kiss to their knuckles. When he realized what he'd done, Lucky quickly pulled them away from his mouth and blushed a bit.

“Sorry. Habit.”

“Habit?”

Fear again. “Uh....no. Just...you know, the habit of being comfortable. Like how we cuddle and stuff. Please tell me if I'm crossing boundaries.”

Cruz had zoned out for a minute—their mind clouded and they thought perhaps they were getting a migraine again, but the pain never came. Instead, the cloudiness thickened and then something poked through. A memory? They could see him in their mind kissing their knuckles, their finger tips, the palm of their hand, but every time it was different. They were somewhere else, wearing different clothes, sometimes it was day, sometimes it was night. That dream with the flower masks the night of the masquerade, there he was in his pjs with their hands to his lips--

“Cruzi?”

Blinking a few times, they came back to reality and realized his fear had swelled up again.

“Sorry, I must be a bit sleepy still. My brain decided to take a trip, I didn't mean to worry you.” Getting up, they put his slippers on and shuffled over to the bed to pull him up.

“You know I would tell you if anything you did upset me. Stop worrying.”

A dimpled smile that settled his fears, and they exited the room to go downstairs where Illain greeted them from the table after setting a fresh cup of tea down for Asra.

“Good morning you two~ Cruzi....are you alright?”

They flushed a bit and nodded, feeling a bit embarrassed.

“I'm sorry, I hope I didn't wake you coming over so late.”

Asra smiled and leaned back in his chair. “We were up, but we didn't want to intrude. It...felt like something that was important between you and Lucky.”

“Oh! I....yes.” Cruzi leaned on him, snuggling up briefly before sitting down at the table with them. “He's so sweet to me. Um...Xena had broken up with me, and I didn't quite know what to do. So...I came to Lucky for help.”

Illain smiled warmly. “He sounds like he's a safe place for you. I'm sorry to hear that though, are you alright?”

“He is. Uhm, yes. I am. I think....I think maybe I was just upset with her feelings and the mess of my own, trying to make sense of everything. But it's okay. Lucky's really great at listening and assuring me that I'm...that I'm not broken.”

The smiles from the elder couple were warm, proud, and relieved. Amid voicing how happy they were that everything turned out to be okay, they had taken glances at their son and seen what Cruz did not: The way he looked at them with his entire heart.

'Well, are you two hungry? I still have some eggs set aside in case you wanted some omelets.”

The two nodded, vocalizing their thanks for the food as he prepared it just like he knew they liked. Small talk ensued through breakfast, and once finished, Cruz got up to leave.

“I didn't come home last night, so I'm sure my family is worried. Not too worried, I know Sol can feel I'm okay.”

“The connections you have with people are so precious. I'm glad they're strong enough to send comfort where words can't.” Asra smiled, wrapping up a loaf to place in a basket he was sending with them to Val.

“Yeah. I'm gonna get an earful though. Anyway, thank you again and sorry for my unannounced visit.”

Illain shook his head and waved it off. “Oh nonsense, you're always welcome here you know that.”

Another goodbye and Lucky walked them out, pausing just outside the door to see them off.

“Thanks Lucky...” Cruz took hold of his hand and gave it a squeeze, holding on for a bit longer than necessary before walking away to go home to the crystal shop. Lucky stayed out there and watched until they were out of sight before heading back inside. His parents waited for him at the table with a fresh pot of tea, ready to listen to everything he had to tell them about what happened.

**************************

An earful they received the second they walked through the door, their twin standing there waiting for them, having sensed their arrival.

“Spill it.”

Val was much less stern, knowing their child's mannerisms and behaviors. Simply taking the basket of goodies sent to them from the Alnazars and examining the contents while they listened to their children go through the motions they no longer had to.

Cruz explaining exactly what happened, Sol pressing for details, and Val nodded and adding a thought here and there when appropriate.

“Si, I knew you might be over there.”

“But what if they weren't Apaaa!!” Sol fussed.

“If they weren't safe you would know immediately.”

The gut wrenching twist of the memory made Sol feel a bit nauseous, that moment when they _knew_ something was wrong, feeling something gnarl and snap with that sharp pain....

Shaking their head of it, Sol waved it off and scoffed. “Yeah yeah...just...meh. Fine. Anyway I'm glad you at least didn't do something stupid like...I dunno try to dive away your problems in the ocean in the middle of the night.”

Cruz laughed. “I mean, I  _could_ if I wanted to, I'm experienced. But doing that in that high emotional state was...not a good idea. I ….yeah no.”

They blushed a little bit in embarrassment remembering what had happened. Sol knew, they could feel it, but they remained quiet.

“Anyway....I'm glad Lucky was there for you. And sorry not sorry Xena left you.”

“WOW THANKS???”

****************************

It was about a week later when Cruz had another episode of dazing out with some kind of...flashback. They were falling back into normal life, sitting at Selasi's shop in the marketplace with Sol and Lucky sharing a loaf of pumpkin bread. As they placed a piece in their mouth, their mind fogged up again and they saw brief flashes of something that they recognized from one of their dreams. Except it never happened in the dream. They were sitting at the stall with Lucky, sharing pumpkin bread, but he was feeding it to them. It was evening, they were dressed nicer than usual. The way he was looking at them....

“Cruzi?”

Blinking again, Sol was shaking them a bit. “Hey, you in your body? You keep zoning out?”

Lucky was looking at them with concern, they could tell he was resisting the urge to place his hand on their arm. Their brow furrowed a moment.

“I...just had a weird deja vu moment.”

“Well that's not unusual. We do come here a lot.” He stated, pulling a piece from the bread and holding it up to them. Their eyes locked onto it for a moment before leaning forward and letting him place it in their mouth. Cruz could feel the swell of warmth from him.

“Did we ever come here on a date? I remember...wearing a nice outfit in the evening and sitting here....”

Lucky froze—both of them did actually—making eye contact for a second to long for Cruz to let it slide.

“What do you two know that you aren't telling me?”

“....uh....well I mean you.....” Sol fumbled a bit, trying to pick their words carefully to ensure it didn't trigger that debilitating head pain. Lucky stepped in.

“We went on a friend date. You were feeling kind of bad on Valentine's day, so I took you out and spoiled you.”

He didn't feel like he was lying, but Cruz still felt like they were missing a piece to the puzzle. He continued.

“We got dressed up and went around town, and then I took you here and we shared pumpkin bread together.”

The two felt uneasy, worried, but it was enough for Cruz to accept as an answer and they moved on from it. Though they were concerned as to why this was something they couldn't seem to remember.....did it happen this year? Maybe....

Te wave of relief from them confused them, but they kept it in the back of their mind and continued with the day.

******************************

“Do you think their memories are coming back?” Sol asked, pacing with uncertainty on the beach. Cruz was diving in the ocean, and like old times they would sit on the shore to watch and wait. Lucky shrugged and let out a sigh.

“It seems like it. I mean...I'm hopeful but then again....I'm kind of afraid what will happen.”

He had a point, Sol thought. They didn't know how recovering memories was going to affect Cruz. Would it be a good thing? Would this change everything?

“All we can do is wait, right?”

“Yeah...”

At that moment, Cruz resurfaced and made their way back to the shore, talking about the sea critters and corals and how well they're doing. The conversation between Sol and Lucky dropped and they silently decided to just...stand by and see what happened.

**************************************

“Do you ever have dreams where you die?”

Lucky stared at them briefly, watching them munch on one of Selasi's pot pies while they watched the gentle waves of the ocean roll in.

“Well...sure, but not often.”

“Well no, it's not often but...it's just weird how real dreams feel.”

He paused, thinking heavily about his next words. Cruz had been talking about their memories coming back in glances, dazing out regularly in the past couple months. It became a signal at this point—every time they zoned out, both he and Sol knew it was a fragment of the past coming back. 

“Did...you wanna talk about it?”

“......yeah. It was kind of unsettling.”

Nervousness set in for a moment, but he calmed it. Cruz was used to him getting nervous every time they brought this stuff up. At least the silver lining was that they could remember they were remembering without pain.

“I dreamt I was in Nadia's garden. There was a party maybe? But I was going through the garden maze alone looking for something. I don't know what, but somehow I ended up at the fountain.”

Lucky pressed his lips together, feeling a bit of nausea hit him at the memory of the way their eyes stared blankly—“Lucky?”

“Hm?”

“You felt.....devastated for a moment.”

“Oh....sorry. Just...you mentioned dying and I started to think about you dying and I may...have upset myself a bit.”

“Oh I'm sorry....should I stop?”

He shook his head, leaning into their touch to reassure them. “I'm fine. Go ahead and finish telling me.”

“Okay...” They sighed. “Well, I remember climbing the fountain for some reason, but I slipped and fell. I hit myself in the head? Somewhere up there but I just...I drowned. God it was such an awful feeling. I couldn't move but I could hear screaming, I could feel being pulled out but I couldn't feel touch. And then everything went black and I woke up.” Cruz looked upset, understandably. But the way Lucky felt was beyond that, a feeling they couldn't describe even if they really wanted to. 

“You okay? Lucky if it made you uncomfortable you could have said so.” They looked at their friend with concern, noting how his eyes were watering up just slightly. He took a shakey breath and shook his head, leaning against them and shrugging.

“Sometimes we gotta talk about uncomfortable things to process them. It's not always gonna be fun, but I'm still gonna be here for you when you need to.”

“I know.....but this sounds like it's really hurting you.”

“It is.” He sat up and squeezed their hand. “And why wouldn't it? I'm thinking about my best friend dying, and it makes me sad.”

“Lucky...” Despite the seriousness of the conversation they let out an exasperated laugh. “How do you do that? You're so good at making everything seem okay, even if it's not.”

“Who says it isn't okay?”

“The way your heart is beating and the anxiety coming off of you.”

He laughed, running his hand through his fiery locks before pausing to register their words better.

“....you can feel my heartbeat?”

Cruz blinked, realizing too that it was an odd statement. Their brows furrowed a moment as they thought about it, their hand coming to rest on their chest.

“......yeah. It's like....I don't know how to explain it. Like it's in my chest but it isn't. Am I mistaking my own heartbeat?” They reached out and pressed their fingers to that vein in his neck, feeling for a moment before looking at him in awe. “It is yours. I...have I ever been able to do that before?”

“Maybe it's part of your empathy? We can ask Val.”

Lucky turned to grab the wrappings from their snacks to get ready to leave when he felt Cruz's hands on the back of his neck. 

“Lucky what's this?”

“What?”

“You have some kind of sigil glowing here...”

Come to think of it, he did feel a warmth on the back of his neck...he'd felt that before, didn't he? He did. Every time Cruz started remembering? When they started to come...back.

His hand came up to feel, fingers brushing against theirs, but he knew it wouldn't reveal anything.

“I don't know. I can't see the back of my neck.”

“I've never noticed this before....it hasn't always been here has it? No way it can't be, I see the back of your head a lot, I would have noticed it.”

He felt a fear rise up in his chest, but....it wasn't his. He knew it wasn't, so where was this coming from? Was that...Cruz's fear he was suddenly feeling? As he turned back, Cruz's fingers slid from his neck to rest along his jaw, looking at him concerned. Still, he smiled at them and took their hand, kissing their fingertips before speaking.

“Why don't you go ask Val about the heartbeat, and I'll ask my dad about the sigil? We can meet up afterwards and talk about it.”

The fear in his chest quieted a bit, still rolling but underneath a layer of ...what was that? Content? Trust? Something...not bad. It felt like it was going to be okay. He started to connect dots in his mind and decided to try.....

“Cruzi....are you scared?”

“Of course I am. I don't know if someone cursed you o-or what that might be. I'm worried!”

He felt the fear spike up. Lucky knew he wasn't an empath—no one in his family was, not like the Sepulvedas. And yet his little test had supported his theory: he was feeling Cruz's emotions. When did that start??

Brushing it aside for now, Lucky reassured them again and stood up.

“Come on. Let's stick with our plan for now, I'll walk you home.”

They remained uneasy, but calmed down along the way. The two walked hand in hand, talking about anything but the concerns just to give themselves a break. Nervousness set in when they had parted, Lucky walking back to his house after waving goodbye to Cruzi.

What did that sigil mean? Why had it taken this long to notice it? Was it always there? He began to mentally note every time he felt that warmth and what was happening when he did. His dad should know...right?


	19. Mordida

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s Lucky’s Birthday~

This was a day full of mixed emotions. On the one hand: it was all about him, yet on the other hand....The Sepulvedas.  
Birthdays were great celebrations within their culture, an ordeal Lucky was well familiar with. Ever since childhood, birthday havers were either woken with a serenade, or it was sung to them before cake was served. And then there was mordida.   
“A bite!” Cruz had translated for him. The first time he had perceived it to mean taking his first bite of cake, which to be fair it was. Followed quickly by every family member shoving his face into the baked good. Lucky had tried several times throughout the years to see if he could avoid the dreaded face smash into sugar paste, but to no avail. One time Sol pegged him from all the way across the room when he tried to take off running.

The redhead was in a good mood—suitors had gifted him such nice things for his special day. Expensive jewelry, an exquisite tasting meal courtesy of the finest chef in Vesuvia, a specially tailored outfit he would likely wear once. All things Lucky was pleased to add to his collection of lavish gifts, but as he neared his home he couldn’t help but feel a small bit of dread. His family would be waiting for him, of course, but so would The Sepulvedas. With their traditions.  
A brief pause before the door, a small breath, Lucky pushed it open and stepped in to be greeted with an enthusiastic “Happy Birthday!!”  
His parents were just setting a cake onto their table, Val putting down plates while Asra approached to hug his son.  
“Happy Birthday Lucky.”  
“Thanks daddy~”  
Stepping back to join the rest, the twins ran up and picked him up in a double hug, swinging him gently back and forth.  
“You’re getting old!” Sol laughed.  
“Gonna get wrinkles!!” Cruz added.  
He flailed a bit, waving a freckled hand at them and sassing back with a “Im too pretty for wrinkles!”  
Setting him down, he was ushered over to the table and sat down, everyone settling down around him. Sol and Cruz started singing while his parents and Val hummed along.   
Oh here it comes.  
“Estas son las mañanitas que cantaban el rey David, hoy por ser dia de tu santo te las cantamos a ti!!”  
He started to slowly tense, feeling the muscles in his neck tighten up as they continued.  
“Que Linda esta la mañana en que vengo a saludarte! Venimos todos con gusto y placer a felicitarte!!!”  
He braced, shutting his eyes—this was usually when his face was shoved into the cake.

But nothing happened. When he opened his eyes to peek, everyone was simply smiling at him.  
“Not this year, Clover~” Cruz smiled. “We know you hate it, so not this time.”  
Still, he was apprehensive.  
“...is this a trick?” Purple eyes narrowed a bit, searching for the trademark lie giveaways.  
Sol shook their head. “Nope. Thought it would be a great one, we aren’t going to do it.”  
“No te preocupes Lucky,” Val added, “this year we just enjoy the cake on a plate.”  
“Oh.”   
It wasn’t quite shocked, but it did fall out with a sigh of relief. Immediately followed by a bit of guilt.   
“Do you want to cut it, Lucky?” Illain asked, holding the knife out.   
“Yeah.”  
Taking the utensil, he slid the cake towards himself but then paused before making the cut.  
“What’s up? Wanna make a speech?” Sol teased. Lucky set the knife down and sighed, shaking his head.  
“No...it doesn’t feel right without the tradition. Just do it.”  
While he felt guilty about not wanting to do it, he still wasn’t excited about the idea of icing in his hair.  
“Are you sure?” Asra asked. Illain nodded next to him and added, “you don’t have to.”  
Another pause, pursed lips. “Yeah but....I want my birthday to feel right. And not doing it feels wrong.”  
Val gave a sympathetic look to the Alnazars, hesitating to say anything. Before anyone could speak, Cruz scooted closer and grinned.  
“Okay, close your eyes.”  
With another deep breath, Lucky shut his eyes and braced.   
But there were no hands on the back of his head shoving him face first into cold icing.  
Instead, there was a brief, cold, smooshing feeling on his nose.  
“Mordida!”  
The twins cheered. Opening his eyes, Lucky blinked and saw the two with a small mess of cake and icing on their hands, grinning at him. Glancing downwards—cross eyed— at his nose, he caught a glimpse of colorful frosting. They did indeed smoosh cake onto his face, but gently.   
He couldn’t stop the smile spreading across his face.   
“We aren’t monsters.” They giggled. Finally cutting into the cake, Lucky left the sugary paste on his nose for a bit longer, enjoying this modified tradition much more than the original one. Maybe he didn’t mind it so much after all.


	20. Ocean Eyes; Home is where your heart lives

If he claimed he wasn’t excited, he was lying. Lucky had jogged to the coastal tailor shop (a feat honestly, he’s never willingly run anywhere in his entire life) and had to pause at the steps to breathe. When was the last time he even exercised?   
“don’t answer that” he thought to himself.  
One more deep breath, a quick tuck of his hair to make sure it wasn’t too frazzled, and Lucky pushed the door open. Walking into the empty room, he wondered if he may have had the time wrong when there was no response.  
“Hello?”  
“I hear you, hold on.” A voice came from the back. He perked up at the sound, restraining himself from just walking into the back area like he owned the place. A rustle of fabric, some light footsteps—there they are.  
And it caught him off guard. Lucky was used to seeing them with mussy hair pushed up with a pair of slightly crooked glasses, a button up with the sleeves rolled up, some shorts or other comfort clothes. Sometimes they were in tennis shoes, sometimes they were barefoot. But this time they weren’t. This time they stepped out with a simple nude colored dress that flowed around their ankles with straps that lazily shifted about their shoulders. A fitted bodice silhouetted them nicely, their hair was pushed back with a headband…and they were barefoot.   
“Shut your mouth before you drool on my rug.”  
A half smirk from them followed by the sound of his teeth clacking together as he obeyed. “Wow. I uh..” His tongue felt heavy all of a sudden. Cruz rolled their eyes and approached, holding the clothes they had carefully tailored to his figure out for him.   
“Listen, I know I’m great at my job but it’s not that impressive.”  
“What? No no the clothes—I mean yes, the clothes. But your clothes. On you. No, I mean you entirely. Wait.” Golly he was fumbling a lot.   
“My dress? Yes, I made this as well. Something light but nice for warm days out.” They placed the folded outfit into his hands. “Here. Your order, ready like I said it would be. You should try it on one more time in case there was something I missed.”  
Lucky shrugged, gently tucking it under his arm. “I can try it later. It’s 4pm, you’re shift is over.”  
Cruz blinked, glancing at the wall clock before laughing out loud. “So it is. Did you time your arrival like this on purpose?”  
A grin, “Don’t worry about it. We can drop this off where I’m staying and uhh…well or I can leave it here while we go out. Where would you like to go? Dinner is on me, obviously.”  
Cruz smirked a bit, their cheek dimpling, before slipping some sandals on and grabbing the keys to shut down the shop. “How do you feel about island food?”  
“I love a good poke bowl.” He grinned, hopping down the steps to wait for them.  
Their laugh made his heart jump into his throat as they shut the door to the shop and locked up. “Well, there won’t be poke bowls, but maybe I can interest you in some seafood curry.”  
“Is that spicy?”  
“Only if you make it spicy.”  
He was already much shorter than the lithe seamster, but seeing how they absolutely dwarfed him from their position at the top of the stairs really tugged at something inside him. Lucky was starting to ponder if maybe this was a kink he never realized he had. But there was no time to think on it, they were already gliding past him into town. Jogging to catch up, and finding that he had to take quicker steps to match their stride, Lucky began with the small talk.  
“So how long have you lived here?”  
“My entire life.”  
“Oh. You don’t ever want to leave or see other places?”  
They shrugged. “It’d be nice to travel, but this will always be home and I’ll always come back to it. Sometimes I worry if I’m away from the ocean for too long I’ll start drying up.” A chuckle. “What about you? What’s your home like?”  
Lucky stopped in his tracks for a moment, zoning out at the memory of his dads around a table with a warm pot of tea. Blinking, he looked at the confused Cruz and gave a small smile. “Home is…warm. But far. I miss them.”  
“Do you have any siblings? When was the last time you saw your family?”  
The earring dangling from his lobe sparkled a bit in the light as he shook his head. “No siblings, I’m an only child. I saw them….” He paused again. “I…saw my dads on new years.”  
Frowning, Lucky was suddenly homesick. A gentle hand came to rub his arm as he realized he had stopped again, and he found himself wrapping his arms around Cruz’s waist and hugging them. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes as he pressed his face into their shoulder, but with a sniffle and a quick swipe of his sleeve he was smiling up at them.  
“Sorry, that was weird of me. Just had a moment, don’t worry bout it. Don’t wanna put a damper on a good time, yeah? So, seafood curry?”  
Their eyes saw right through him, he could tell, and those pools of bright green reflected a soft understanding. Before they could say anything, a shrill call of “LUCKY!” pierced the air and a small group of fans began to wave and make their way over.   
“Oh…” He deflated. “I’m sorry, I thought we could avoid-“  
Grabbing his hand, they began to pull him towards a narrow alley between two shops, escaping the open streets and coming out on a backalley labyrinth on the other side.  
He chuckled a bit at the surroundings, “Well we could always do this Lady and the Tramp style for some privacy.” A pause. “…Sorry about that.”  
Cruz merely grinned and began to walk through the narrow paths. “I think we should have Mexican instead. It’s not spicy, you’ll like it.”  
“Oh?”  
The alleys were too narrow for him to stand next to them, but it was okay. Soon enough they were back out on the main roads and in a small little neighborhood. He didn’t realize this was here, but then again he was mostly in the business part of the island. Guess it made sense for there to be actual homes. Cruz jogged up to a house painted a bright coral color that had been dulled by years of rain and ocean breezes. Palms and numerous florals and plants framed the walkway and porch, it looked almost like a fantasy home.  
“Coming?”  
“Oh, yeah. Is this some secret hole in the wall place?”  
“Sure.”  
Stepping up to the porch, they pulled the door open and beckoned him in, instructing him to take his shoes off before following further. It reminded him of a place he once ate at while on tour in Japan—they made you take of your shoes and switch to slippers for a more homey experience, and Lucky wondered if this was similar.  
“Apa! Tengo un invitado!” Cruz called out. A voice responded from the kitchen, “Bueno cocido mucho. Quien es?”  
A head of dark curly hair peeked out and blinked a moment as they registered the guest. “Ah! The celebrity.”  
“Oh! Oh, no please. Lucky. Just Lucky.” He was slightly embarrassed, realizing that this wasn’t a restaurant and Cruz had in fact taken him to their home.  
“Bueno, Lucky. Welcome, I’m Val. Ah, you can put your things here.” The figure took the clothes from his grasp and placed them gently on the cabinet in the hall. “This is Cruzi’s work, I recognize the stitches. You’ll treasure this for years—Cruzi puts their heart into their craft.”  
“Apa!” the aforementioned seamster was flushed, leaning out from the kitchen to puff their cheeks. Lucky couldn’t help but giggle at it, they were cute. He couldn’t help but feel he was intruding, though.  
“Ah I uh….I didn’t realize I would be interrupting a family meal. I’m sorry, I should let you all enjoy your-“  
“Chickening out?”  
Lucky was so preoccupied with everything in front of him that he didn’t realize the other twin had walked in directly behind him. Two rough hands clapped onto his arms and scooched him forward until he stood directly before the kitchen and a giggling Cruz. Releasing him from their hold, Sol slipped by and laughed, going to the fridge to pull out a soda. Turning to Cruz, they smiled and shrugged, stepping closer and putting their hands on his shoulders.  
“When was the last time you got to eat with family, Lucky? To enjoy a home cooked meal with friends?”  
Before he could answer, Val had walked up next to him and nodded their agreement. “You’re welcome to dine with us until you leave. It must be tough being on the road all the time and not getting a moment to just enjoy yourself and being so far from home. Come sit with us, we’re your home while you’re here.”  
Oh no. He was gonna cry. “T-thank you.”  
“Oop, waterworks.” Sol grinned, setting down the soda and running over to grab him in a hug just as Cruz did the same.  
“This probably isn’t the dinner you were expecting when you asked me out, huh?” Cruz grinned.  
“This is the best dinner.”


	21. Ocean Eyes III

“Ok it’s a 4 hour drive up the coast to hit the big city, and then from there it’s about 45 minutes to the airpor-Lucky! Why are your bags still not packed?!”  
The redhead lay pathetically on the bed, his clothes still strewn about, ignoring his agent for the xth time.  
“Lucky”  
“I heard you.”  
“We have to go. If we don’t leave within the next hour we’ll be cutting it way too close for the private jet and we need to make sure we make it on time for your first tour date-“  
“I don’t care.”  
The silence that fell was almost deafening. Almost.  
“What do you mean you don’t care???? Luckster, LuxStar, this is your biggest tour yet! And after this huge publicity event with this island business, you’re-“  
He pushed himself up with a glare. “Don’t call me that. And I don’t care. I want to go home and see my family.”  
“You’ll get to see them after the tour-“  
“No, I’m going home to see them. I haven’t seen my dads since new years. It’s been 4 months, I miss them.”  
“That’s the life of a celebrity, LuxStar.”  
“Celebrity life can wait.” He began angrily stuffing his clothes into the bags, not bothering with folding them much to the dismay of his agent. With an aggressive zipping motion (that almost broke the dang thing), Lucky dumped the suitcase on the bed and began slipping his shoes on. “There, packed.”  
“Thank you. Now lets get the car loaded up and—wait where are you going?”  
“To say goodbye.”  
He didn’t wait for any other commentary, shoving his way out of the cottage and looking at his surroundings. Of course there were groupies already lined up to see him off, and for once he ignored them. Shoving his way past to go to the little tailor shop by the sea.  
But it was empty. Of course it was, the sign had the schedule up and today was a closed day. Glancing at the clock through the window, he guessed he had about 30 minutes before his agent sent the police after him to drag him back. Looking around, Lucky thought it might be weird to go to their house but….they did welcome him, warmly. So he followed the path he had memorized that evening, coming out of the alley onto the neighborhood street, right across from the coral colored home. Approaching it with hesitation, Lucky brought himself to knock, second guessing his decision just as the door opened to reveal Val.  
“Ah, Lucky! Hola.”  
“Hi. Um…is Cruz here?”  
“Mmm no. My children left a while ago to go uhh…what did they call it...the long skateboard.”   
“Longboarding?”  
“Ah, so simple and yet I forget. Si, that.” They chuckled at themselves and stepping out, pointing down the road. “They usually take this road all the way up the mountain and ride it back down to the beach. I’m guessing…they may be just getting to the top about now.”  
“How long does it take for them to get back down?”  
“About 20 minutes, it’s a nice casual trip.”  
“Okay, I’ll see if I can catch them. I uhh…I want to say goodbye.”  
“Are you leaving today?”  
“Yeah. My agent is probably fussing that I’m not already in the car but…”  
He was interrupted with a hug and a few warm backrubs. “It was good to meet you Lucky. If you ever come back you come stay with us.”  
He couldn’t stop the smile. “Yeah. Thanks…thanks for treating me like a person and not a celebrity.”  
“You are a person. Celebrities are just people with too many bedazzles.”  
Lucky laughed at the improper used of “bedazzled”, finding the language struggle Val seemed to have charming.  
“Yeah, you’re right. Way too many bedazzles. All that shiny is bound to get in your eyes and blind you from everything else.”  
Val nodded, pleased with Lucky’s understanding of their attempted metaphor. “Si! Ah, but you better go if you want to try and catch them. I think they’d like to say bye to you as well.”  
“Right, thanks!” Jogging back down the steps, Lucky for the second time in his life took off running down the road.  
And boy was it a long road. It was a miracle he made it to the end of the street, hunched over huffing and puffing as he glanced in the direction of the mountain. Golly that was a steep mountain wasn’t it? Or did it just seem that way from all the way down here? What time was it? Another glance around revealed a small group of people sitting at the pier, one of them had to have the time  
“Excuse me-“  
“Oh mygosh. It’s-“  
“Yes, shocking. Can you help me?” Time to turn up the charm. Lucky knelt down, holding a hand out for one of them to take. “Do you have the time? I have to leave soon but I’d like to have a little fun before I go.”  
“O-oh~” They chuckled, flushing as they pulled their phone out. “It’s about 9:40am.”  
“Lovely, thank you beautiful.” A quick kiss on their hand, not too quick, a wink, and he was off again.   
Shit. I have 10 minutes. Squinting past the sun’s rays he tried to make out any figures gliding down the road. Nothing. He’d have to keep running, but his legs were already aching.   
“Sir!”   
Turning around revealed a uniformed escort beckoning him towards her. “Mr. LuxStar. It’s time to go.”  
“………..”  
“HEY”  
Lucky bolted, trying to run against gravity as fast as he could up the winding road. God this was hard. But he persisted, the uniformed escort chasing after him with thankfully as much of a struggle as he was enduring. His lungs were burning, his legs were burning, his entire body was aching, but Lucky was determined not to let her catch him. This was gonna turn into a PR stunt, he knew it, and his agent was going to have a fit.  
It made him grin knowing how difficult of a time he was going to have. Before he could enjoy the thought too much, a hand clasped onto the back of his shirt---the shirt Cruz had so carefully made to his figure—and yanked him back into the grasp of a pair of arms. He was lifted from the ground, feet dangling as he was turned around.  
“Geez, you’re fast for someone who doesn’t exercise.”  
“Excuse me”  
“You’re agent didn’t say you’d be this difficult. Oof.” The escort took a deep breath and began to walk back down the path with Lucky in her arms. “You’re going to be late for your flight.”  
“I have unfinished business.”  
“That’s unfortunate.”  
“Let me go.”  
“Fraid not.”  
And so he began to squirm and kick, trying to worm his way free and failing spectacularly. Why are these escorts always so dang buff?  
“HEY WATCHOUT!”  
“Cruz?”  
Sol narrowly whizzed past on their board, eyes widening as they realized who was part of the fuss, but skidded to a stop as a heck of a crash occurred only seconds later. In the motion to turn around, the escort caught the edge of Cruz’s board as they attempted to swerve around them and sent them crashing into the road.  
“HEY! Cruzi! Dude what the fuck?!” Understandably upset, Sol ran to their twin who was curled up clutching their arm.  
“Sorry, we’ll get out of your w-OW!!”  
Lucky winded up a heel kick straight to her knee and bonked his head against her nose, causing enough pain (to both of them honestly) to drop him.   
“Augh ow…movies make that look so easy.” He huffed, clutching the back of his head and running over to the two.  
“Are you okay? Are they okay?” He was kneeling down helping them sit up and noticing the very awkward way their right wrist was sitting. “Oh geez. Okay, we need to get you to a hospital.”  
“What the hell were you doing in the road?!!” An exasperated Sol snapped. Before he could answer, the escort was already pulling him to his feet.  
“HEY STOP”  
“It’s time to go-“  
“I SAID STOP!!” He bit her hand and yanked his own free, slapping her hand away as she tried to reach for him again. “My friend is hurt! They need medical attention! I don’t CARE if I miss my flight I’m helping my friend!!”  
And with that he whirled around and helped Sol pick Cruzi up off the ground, walking them down the last bit of the hill where a vehicle cut them off and his agent stepped out.   
“Lucky!! You-“  
“Great timing. Hospital.” Shoving them out of the way, Lucky pulled his two friends to the car and into the backseat, shutting the door and locking it before the agent could pull it open. “We need to go to the hospital please. Quickly. This is an emergency.”  
The driver hesitated.  
“….I’ll give you a bonus just go please!”  
“Sir yes sir.”  
Sol looked around the interior of the car as it took off, eyebrows raised. “Wow. So this is what it’s like to be rich huh?”   
Lucky grimaced. “Yeah. No privacy, no allies unless you can bribe them, and strict schedules to adhere to. I’m gonna get in so much shit for this but…” His eyes dropped to Cruz’s arm and he winced again. “God, I’m so sorry Cruz.”  
Having been quiet up until now, probably because of the pain, they finally gave him a smile. They held their hand out, which he placed his own into, and just held on. Reassuring him with a gentle gaze.  
“….So are you two gonna just elope then? Are we at least gonna get a cut of the wedding goods-OW”  
Sol was shushed with a sharp elbow to the ribs and Lucky pulled his hand back, ears turning red from embarrassment. The rest of the ride was quiet, minus the quick call to Val who was a very concerned parent. A couple hours and an xray later, they were waiting for the medical staff to come put the cast on in awkward silence.  
Cruz finally spoke up, now having the benefit of pain medication. “….don’t blame yourself for this, Lucky. I don’t blame you.”  
“I do.”   
“Shut up Sol.”  
“But your sewing…”  
Cruz cut him off. “I’m left handed. I can still sew.”  
He gave a sheepish smile, still feeling guilty. Cruz continued.  
“You know…I’ve seen videos of you online. At your performances. Heard things about you from other people on the island when we heard you would be visiting. But you’re not really LuxStar, are you?”  
He gave a small chuckle. “LuxStar is a stage persona. Like all celebrities have. It’s who we are for the public.”  
“Who were you when you met me?”  
“….mmm a bit of LuxStar. At first. But you were so uncaring about all that, that it just melted away and I just…I was me.”  
“And who are you?”  
He smiled. “Lucky. Lucky Alnazar.”  
A gagging noise sounded from the corner followed by a quick “thwack” from a sandal right off Val’s foot.  
“Come Solita, let’s wait outside si ya que eres una hermana pendeja.” Another thwack and Val shoved them out of the room before smiling at the two remaining. “We’ll be just outside if you need us.”  
The lights hummed quietly in the room for a moment, then Lucky continued. “It was really nice getting to be around people who didn’t care about LuxStar. You and Sol and Val. It was refreshing, I felt relieved. Like I could really just be me around you guys and not have to worry about all the complicated things that come with public relations, or that I had to be a certain way for you all to accept me. It was really nice.”  
They beamed. “You’re always welcome if you ever come back. We can be your home away from home.”  
“I’d like that. To come back. Maybe one day if you ever leave the island I can show you around the countryside where I’m from.”  
“Well you have my number.”  
The nurse walked in at that moment with a tray of items and a ring of materials that they handed to Cruz to pick from. “Whelp, a cast isn’t pretty but at least you can customize it. What color do you want, love?”  
“Mmm…Lucky what’s your favorite color?”  
“Purple.” He grinned.  
“Mine’s seafoam green. Ooh, can we do both of them? Can you wrap it like a candy cane?”  
The nurse laughed. “That’s a weird flavored candy cane! I can do that. Don’t have seafoam green, but I have teal. Will that do?”  
“Teal works!”  
Lucky sat silently, flushed and beaming as he watched the nurse build the cast up and gently wrap the two colors together. They worked well together, but it definitely was probably a weird flavored candy cane.

When all was said and done and the cast was tasting it’s first rays of sun, Lucky’s stomach dropped as his agent caught up to him to drag him off to the airport finally.  
“It was good to meet you Lucky. I hope you come back. Stay in touch?”  
“Definitely.”  
As he was about to walk away Cruz stopped him. “Oh! Wait.” They held their casted arm out. “Can you be the first to sign your handiwork?”  
Lucky made a face. “Don’t say it like I broke it, geez.”   
They were laughing as he ran and snatched a sharpie from his agent, jogging back and scooting around to sign in a spot that they could look at easily.  
“There. Courtesy of moi~” Another wince. “Wow there’s no making this situation sound like I didn’t do this.”  
“Lucky come ON! You’re lucky I was able to get another pilot willing to wait!”  
The redhead’s shoulders slumped, but a gentle hand came to pat his back, followed by a bit of giggling that he was pretty sure was from the drugs.  
“Go on Lucky. Isla Arrecife will be here when you wanna come back.”  
Lucky hugged them, forcing himself to pull away and go to the car and bracing for the earful he was going to get on the 4 hour ride off the island. He watched the small family wave by to him as they pulled away, ignoring the larger groups holding signs and calling to him. The lecture began and he tuned it out, staring at the ocean and imagining he was looking into Cruz’s eyes again.


End file.
